India Upgrades Its Technical Mission In Afghanistan's Kabul To Full Embassy

India has restored the status of its Technical Mission in Kabul to a full-fledged embassy, signalling renewed diplomatic engagement with Afghanistan.

“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,” the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement on Tuesday.

New Delhi last week upgraded its ties with Afghanistan’s Taliban administration by announcing the reopening of its embassy in Kabul. The mission had been closed since 2021, after the Taliban — whose Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi visited India earlier this month — took control of the country.

“This decision underscores India’s resolve to deepen its bilateral engagement with the Afghan side in all spheres 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,” the statement further added.

The decision to upgrade the status of the technical mission was taken during Muttaqi’s meeting with Union Minister Of External Affairs S Jaishankar in New Delhi. The meeting focussed on security concerns surrouding the embassy.

Notably, Amir Khan Muttaqi, told News18 in a global exclusive interview in 2022 that the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan would pay special attention to the safety and security of the Indian embassy and consulates.

“I believe that the relations between Afghanistan and India will be strengthened in the near future. Their embassy would function in our country and our embassy would function in their country,” Muttaqi told News18 in the 2022 interview. “India and Afghanistan are nearby countries in the region and we should have economic, political and diplomatic relations with each other which would be beneficial to both.”