Afghanistan’s Taliban government has appointed its first senior official in India since the group returned to power in 2021, charged with leading their embassy in Delhi.

India has not officially recognised the Taliban government, but the move signals a deepening engagement, with New Delhi seeking to exploit divisions between Islamabad and Kabul.

Noor Ahmad Noor, a Taliban foreign ministry official, assumed responsibility as charge d’affaires, and has already held meetings with Indian officials, the embassy said in a statement.

“Both sides emphasised the importance of strengthening Afghanistan-India relations,” the Afghan Embassy said, in a post on X late Monday.

India has not commented, but the Afghan embassy posted a photograph of Noor with senior Indian foreign ministry official Anand Prakash.

The Taliban’s strict interpretation of Islamic law may appear an unlikely match for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist government, but India has sought to seize the opening.

Nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan fought a brief but deadly clash in May 2025, their worst confrontation in decades.

The appointment is significant for the Taliban, which has sought to reclaim control over Afghanistan’s overseas diplomatic missions as part of a broader push for international legitimacy.

In October, India said it would upgrade its technical mission in Afghanistan to a full embassy.

Russia is the only country to officially recognise the Afghan Taliban government.