India To Reopen Embassy In Kabul, Jaishankar Tells Taliban FM Muttaqi

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday (10 October) announced that India will reopen its embassy in Kabul during talks with Taliban-ruled Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, who is visiting India from 9 to 16 October with approval from the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), the Indian Express reported.

“I am pleased to announce today, the upgrading of India’s technical mission in Kabul to the status of embassy of India," Jaishankar said during the opening remarks.

“Your visit marks an important step in advancing India-Afghanistan ties. As a well-wisher of the Afghan people, India has a deep interest in your development. Today, I reaffirm that our long-standing partnership, which has seen so many Indian projects in Afghanistan, stands renewed,” Jaishankar said during the meeting.

The External Affairs Minister further said, “We appreciate your sensitivity towards India’s security concerns in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack. India is fully committed to the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence of the Afghan people.”

This announcement marks a major diplomatic development, as India had shut down its embassy in Kabul following the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021.

Reopening the mission signals New Delhi’s intent to re-establish a working relationship with the Taliban regime while safeguarding its strategic and security interests in Afghanistan.

Muttaqi’s visit is the first by a Taliban foreign minister to India since the group seized power.

His itinerary includes visits to Agra and the Darul Uloom Deoband seminary in Uttar Pradesh, as well as meetings with members of the Afghan community residing in India.

Muttaqi's visit to India is also significant as it coincided with rising tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan after a suspected cross-border airstrike in Kabul targeted Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Noor Wali Mehsud.

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