NEW DELHI: India will upgrade its ‘technical mission’ in Kabul to the status of an embassy, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar announced on Friday.
The announcement came during the meeting of Foreign Minister of the Taliban administration in Afghanistan Amir Khan Muttaqi with Mr Jaishankar at Hyderabad House, The Hindu said.
New Delhi does not officially recognise the Taliban government, as India closed its embassy in Kabul after the Taliban seized power in 2021, but opened a small mission a year later.
About a dozen countries including China, Russia, Iran, Pakistan and Turkiye have embassies operating in Kabul, though Russia is the only country to have formally recognised the Taliban administration.
Indian foreign minister tells Muttaqi closer cooperation promotes regional stability, resilience
“India is fully committed to the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of Afghanistan.
“Closer cooperation between us contributes to your national development, as well as regional stability and resilience. To enhance that, I am pleased to announce today the upgrading of India’s Technical Mission in Kabul to the status of Embassy of India,” said Mr Jaishankar.
He thanked Kabul for condemning the terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22, saying, “We appreciate your sensitivity towards India’s security concerns.” He urged Mr Muttaqi to “coordinate efforts” to counter the common threat of terrorism.
The meeting took place hours after an explosion in Kabul reportedly killed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) leader Mufti Noor Wali Mehsud, a claim later denied by TTP sources, The Hindu said.
Mr Jaishankar reiterated India’s commitment to facilitating travel for Afghan nationals through a new visa module introduced in April 2025, with more medical, business, and student visas being issued.
Mr Muttaqi had earlier met Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri in Dubai on Jan 8, where the two sides discussed the roadmap for bilateral relations amid evolving regional developments. Since assuming power, the Taliban has established diplomatic ties with several countries, including Russia and China. Mr Muttaqi arrived in New Delhi from Moscow, where he attended the Moscow Format Dialogue.
Global recognition of the Taliban government in Afghanistan has been impeded by concerns over the human rights situation in the country.
Highlighting the importance of Mr Muttaqi’s first visit to New Delhi, Mr Jaishankar said, “…a meeting between us in person has a special value in allowing us to exchange perspectives, identify common interests and forge closer cooperation.”
India’s consulates in Mazar-i-Sharif, Kandahar, Jalalabad, and Herat had also been closed due to the conflict. The status of these consulates, of considerable interest to Pakistan, did not find place in public statements about the visit.
“We can discuss the maintenance and repairs of finished projects as well as steps to complete others to which we have already committed,” he added.
Mr Jaishankar expressed concern over the forced return of Afghan refugees from Pakistan.
Meanwhile, Mr Muttaqi was quoted as saying that India was the first country to respond to “the recent earthquake in Afghanistan”.
“Afghanistan looks at India as a close friend. Afghanistan wants relations based on mutual respect, trade and people-to-people relations,” the Afghan minister was quoted as saying.
Published in Dawn, October 11th, 2025
