Afghanistan to send diplomats to India, says Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi

Mumbai: Afghanistan will soon dispatch its diplomats to India, Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi confirmed on Friday, signalling a gradual thaw in diplomatic engagement between New Delhi and Kabul.

The announcement came shortly after Muttaqi held extensive discussions with India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in New Delhi. Speaking at a media briefing, the Afghan minister described the move as part of “step-by-step efforts” to enhance relations between the two nations.

Muttaqi also sought to reassure India about its security concerns, asserting that Afghan soil would not be used for any activities harmful to India’s interests.

Currently, Afghanistan’s missions in India are staffed mainly by officials appointed during the previous Ashraf Ghani administration. The decision to send new diplomats marks the Taliban-led government’s first concrete step toward re-establishing formal diplomatic representation in India.

India has not yet recognised the Taliban government and continues to advocate for the establishment of a truly inclusive government in Kabul.

Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, who arrived in New Delhi for high-level talks, said the decision to send diplomats is a part of Kabul’s measured approach to improving bilateral relations with India.

“The process will be gradual, and our diplomats will soon join the missions in India,” Muttaqi said at the press briefing. He noted that both sides discussed various aspects of regional stability and economic cooperation.

During his meeting with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, discussions reportedly included humanitarian assistance, counterterrorism cooperation, and trade connectivity.

India, which evacuated its diplomatic staff from Kabul following the Taliban takeover in August 2021, has maintained limited engagement with Afghanistan through humanitarian aid and development assistance, while consistently urging the Taliban to ensure women’s rights and inclusive governance.

This announcement comes amid a broader diplomatic re-engagement by the Taliban government with regional countries, including China, Iran, and Russia, as it seeks international legitimacy.

New Delhi has not yet confirmed any timeline for reciprocating with diplomatic appointments, but officials said the discussions marked a “constructive development” in bilateral ties.