India to Reopen Embassy in Kabul, Restoring Diplomatic Ties with Taliban-Led Afghanistan

India will reopen its embassy in Kabul, nearly four years after closing it following the Taliban’s return to power in 2021. The announcement came after a high-level meeting between Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and India’s External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar in New Delhi.

Jaishankar said India’s existing technical mission in Kabul would be upgraded to a full embassy, signaling a major step toward restoring diplomatic engagement with the Taliban government. However, he did not specify an exact timeline for the reopening.

Muttaqi, on his six-day official visit — the first by a Taliban leader to India since 2021 — expressed satisfaction over bilateral talks and invited Indian companies to invest in Afghanistan. He assured India that no militant group will be allowed to use Afghan soil against other nations, addressing long-standing regional security concerns.

Jaishankar emphasized that India remains committed to Afghanistan’s sovereignty, stability, and development, describing closer cooperation as vital for regional peace and resilience.

The visit, permitted under a temporary UN travel ban exemption, is being seen as part of the Taliban’s broader diplomatic outreach to gain legitimacy and attract regional investment amid Afghanistan’s economic and humanitarian challenges.

While India still hasn’t formally recognized the Taliban administration, the decision to reopen its embassy reflects a calculated diplomatic thaw, aimed at maintaining influence and safeguarding interests in the region.