Taliban to Appoint First Diplomat in India Since Kabul Takeover, Marking Diplomatic Upgrade
The Taliban will appoint their first diplomat in New Delhi since taking control of Afghanistan in August 2021, following Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi's recent visit to India. India has upgraded its Kabul mission to embassy status and agreed to accept Taliban diplomats. Despite not officially recognizing the regime, India continues humanitarian aid, while both sides reaffirmed mutual respect for sovereignty amid deteriorating Taliban-Pakistan relations.
Afghanistan's Taliban government is set to appoint its first official diplomat in New Delhi, marking the first formal Taliban diplomatic presence in India since their 2021 takeover. The appointment follows acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi's visit to India, which resulted in India upgrading its technical mission in Kabul to embassy status and consenting to accept Taliban diplomats. Another diplomat is expected to be appointed by late December or early January. Throughout 2025, bilateral ties steadily improved, underscored by India pledging ongoing medical aid, including over 16 tonnes of anti-vector-borne disease medicines, despite no official recognition of the Taliban regime. The visit also saw the Taliban expressing support for India's sovereignty over Jammu and Kashmir, while India reaffirmed Afghanistan's territorial integrity. These developments occur amid rising tensions and recent border clashes between the Taliban and Pakistan, with Taliban accusations against Pakistan for fomenting instability to facilitate U.S. military presence at Bagram airbase. India and Afghanistan are poised to have charge d’affaires leading their missions, reflecting a cautious normalization of relations and shared interests in regional stability and development.
