KABUL – India has officially reopened its embassy in Kabul, restoring full diplomatic operations after a four-year hiatus. The move follows Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi’s recent visit to New Delhi.
“In keeping with the decision announced during the recent visit of the Afghan Foreign Minister to India, the Government is restoring the status of the Technical Mission of India in Kabul to that of Embassy of India in Afghanistan with immediate effect,” India’s Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement on Tuesday.
The ministry added that the decision reflects India’s commitment to deepening bilateral engagement with Afghanistan across all areas of mutual interest.
“The Embassy of India in Kabul will further augment India’s contribution to Afghanistan’s comprehensive development, humanitarian assistance, and capacity-building initiatives, in keeping with the priorities and aspirations of Afghan society,” it said.
India closed its embassy in Kabul in August 2021 after the Taliban took power following the U.S.-led NATO withdrawal. A year later, New Delhi opened a limited technical mission to oversee humanitarian aid, medical support, and trade.
The reopening marks India’s most direct diplomatic engagement in Afghanistan since 2021, though New Delhi continues to withhold formal recognition of the Taliban regime.
Around a dozen countries, including Pakistan, China, Iran, Russia, and Turkiye, maintain embassies in Kabul. Of these, only Russia has officially recognized the Taliban government.
Muttaqi’s six-day visit to India earlier this month sought to boost ties with regional powers. Analysts say the Taliban aims to expand political and economic engagement amid ongoing international isolation and sanctions.
Western diplomats have stressed that the Taliban’s restrictions on women and girls remain a major obstacle to broader global recognition.
