India Upgrades Kabul Mission to Full Embassy, Deepens Engagement with Taliban Without Formal Recognition

India on Tuesday announced the upgrading of its diplomatic presence in Afghanistan from a technical mission in Kabul to a full-fledged embassy, marking a significant step in its engagement with the Taliban regime — though without extending formal recognition to the group that seized power in August 2021.

The announcement from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) came less than a week after Taliban foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi concluded a landmark visit to India — the first by a senior member of the Taliban government. Following their meeting on October 10, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar had indicated that India would enhance its diplomatic presence in Kabul.

India had withdrawn all officials and closed its missions in Afghanistan in 2021 after the Taliban takeover. It re-established a limited presence in June 2022, deploying a “technical team” led by a mid-level diplomat to oversee humanitarian assistance and development projects.

“In keeping with the decision announced during the recent visit of the Afghan foreign minister to India, the government is restoring the status of the Technical Mission of India in Kabul to that of the Embassy of India in Afghanistan with immediate effect,” the MEA said in a statement.

“This decision underscores India’s resolve to deepen its bilateral engagement with the Afghan side in all spheres of mutual interest,” the statement added.

The embassy will focus on expanding India’s role in Afghanistan’s development, humanitarian aid, and capacity-building initiatives, aligned with the “priorities and aspirations of Afghan society.”

Sources familiar with the matter said the embassy will be headed by a chargé d’affaires, not a full ambassador, in line with India’s decision to avoid formal recognition of the Taliban regime.

Muttaqi’s October 9–15 visit marked a major step in bilateral engagement. During his trip, he told journalists that Afghanistan would soon send diplomats to its embassy in New Delhi to further strengthen ties.

His visit also came amid rising tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, with recent cross-border strikes adding to regional instability. Muttaqi reiterated that no group would be allowed to use Afghan soil to target other countries, echoing commitments made in past dialogues with India.