Jaishankar confirms India’s plan to reopen Kabul embassy, begin direct flights from New Delhi as ties thaw
During a meeting with Afghan FM Muttaqi, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar announced the upgrading of India’s Technical Mission in Kabul to an embassy, emphasizing India's commitment to Afghanistan's sovereignty and regional stability.
External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar said on Friday that the upgrading of India's Technical Mission in Kabul to the status of the Embassy of India.
During a meeting with Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, Jaishankar described Muttaqi's visit as an “important step in advancing India-Afghanistan ties”.
“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,” EAM added.
Muttaqi's October 9-16 visit marks the first high-level delegation from Kabul to New Delhi since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August 2021.
During his meeting, Jaishankar welcomed Kabul's invitation to Indian companies to explore mining opportunities in Afghanistan, calling it “deeply appreciated” and open for further discussion. He said, “We have a shared interest in boosting trade and commerce. I am glad to note the commencement of additional flights between Kabul and New Delhi..”
Muttaqi calls India a “close friend”
New Delhi maintained consistent contact with the Taliban, establishing a technical mission in Kabul in 2022, a year after the group regained power, to focus on humanitarian aid and development efforts.
Afghan FM Muttaqi said, "In the recent earthquake in Afghanistan, India was the first responder. Afghanistan looks at India as a close friend. Afghanistan wants relations based on mutual respect, trade and people-to-people relations. We are ready to create a consultative mechanism of understanding, which helps towards strengthening our relations."
India also pursued backchannel diplomacy and participated in regional forums, which helped strengthen ties between the two sides this year.
Afghan FM Muttaqi said that he is “happy to be in Delhi, and this visit will increase the understanding between the two countries”. India and Afghanistan should increase their engagements and exchanges...We will not allow any group to use our territory against others, he added.
India has long been home to tens of thousands of Afghans, including students and entrepreneurs, many of whom fled after the Taliban takeover. Although Afghanistan’s embassy in New Delhi closed permanently in November 2023, its consulates in Mumbai and Hyderabad remain open, offering limited services.
The United Nations Security Council has granted a temporary exemption to Muttaqi from international travel restrictions, allowing him to visit India for a week starting October 9. His earlier visit, planned for last month, was cancelled after he failed to secure a visa waiver.
Muttaqi's current trip marks a rare diplomatic engagement between India and the Taliban-led administration, which came to power in Afghanistan for the second time since its first regime in 1996.
Muttaqi's visit to India comes on the heels of his participation in a multilateral meeting on Afghanistan held in Russia on Tuesday, which included representatives from China, India, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.
His visit underscores the Taliban administration's ongoing push for international recognition, while also highlighting India’s strategic recalibration in the region. By engaging directly with the Taliban, India aims to assert its influence in Afghanistan and counter the growing presence of regional rivals Pakistan and China, both of whom remain deeply involved in the country’s affairs.
Although India does not formally recognise the Taliban, addressing a weekly media briefing, MEA spokesperson Jaiswal confirmed on October 3 the continued engagement with the interim government in Afghanistan, highlighting both diplomatic exchanges and humanitarian assistance following a recent earthquake in the region.
Previously, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had spoken with Muttaqi over the phone in May, and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri had met him in Dubai earlier this year.
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