India will reopen its embassy in Kabul, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar announced during a bilateral meeting with Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in New Delhi. This marks a significant step in rebuilding diplomatic ties between the two countries after the Taliban took power in Afghanistan in 2021.
India had closed its embassy and consulates in Afghanistan in August 2021 following the Taliban’s takeover. In 2022, the country restored its diplomatic presence by sending a technical team to Kabul. Now, this mission will be upgraded to a full-fledged embassy.
This meeting between Jaishankar and Muttaqi is the first high-level engagement between India and Afghanistan since the Taliban assumed control. Welcoming the Afghan Foreign Minister and his delegation, Jaishankar said the visit was an important step in advancing relations between the two nations.
“We had opportunities to speak with each other during the Pahalgam attack and earthquakes in Afghanistan,” Jaishankar said.
He emphasised that India remains “fully committed to the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence of Afghanistan.” Jaishankar added that closer cooperation would strengthen “regional stability and resilience” and noted India’s deep interest in Afghanistan’s development and progress as a neighbouring country and a friend of its people.
Muttaqi praised India’s support, saying the country was the first to respond during the recent earthquake in Afghanistan. He described India as a close friend and expressed Afghanistan’s desire to build relations based on mutual respect, trade, and people-to-people connections.
The reopening of the embassy is expected to boost diplomatic, economic, and cultural ties between India and Afghanistan. It also signals India’s continued engagement with the Afghan government under the Taliban, focusing on development assistance, humanitarian support, and regional cooperation.
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Shivam Verma is a journalist with over three years of experience in digital newsrooms. He currently works at NewsX, having previously worked for Firstpost and DNA India. A postgraduate diploma holder in Integrated Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai, Shivam focuses on international affairs, diplomacy, defence, and politics. Beyond the newsroom, he is passionate about football—both playing and watching—and enjoys travelling to explore new places and cuisines.
