NEW DELHI (Oct 10) — India will reopen its embassy in Kabul, four years after closing it down following the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar announced on Thursday during talks with Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in New Delhi.
The meeting — held at Hyderabad House — marks the first visit by a Taliban foreign minister to India, signaling a cautious thaw in bilateral ties.
Jaishankar said the decision to upgrade India’s Technical Mission in Kabul to a full-fledged Embassy reflects New Delhi’s “long-standing partnership” and “deep interest in Afghanistan’s development.”
“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,” Jaishankar said. “Today, I reaffirm that our long-standing partnership, which has seen so many Indian projects in Afghanistan, stands renewed.”
He also announced that India will launch six new projects, gift 20 ambulances, and provide MRI and CT scan machines to Afghan hospitals, along with vaccines for immunisation.
Muttaqi, who arrived in India after receiving a UN Security Council waiver on foreign travel from October 9–16, thanked New Delhi for its humanitarian support. “In the recent earthquake in Afghanistan, India was the first responder. Afghanistan looks at India as a close friend,” he said.
Muttaqi also pledged that no group will be allowed to use Afghan soil against other countries, addressing India’s long-standing security concerns. “We will not allow any group to use our territory against others,” he said, adding that Afghanistan seeks “relations based on mutual respect, trade, and people-to-people ties.”
Jaishankar welcomed the assurance, saying India appreciated “your sensitivity towards our security concerns in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack.”
He added that India was open to exploring mining and trade opportunities in Afghanistan and noted the resumption of direct flights between Kabul and New Delhi as a positive step toward restoring connectivity.
Muttaqi said he hoped the visit would “increase understanding between the two countries” and proposed creating a consultative mechanism to strengthen bilateral cooperation.
The move to reopen the embassy marks a significant shift in India’s engagement with Afghanistan since August 2021, when Indian diplomats were evacuated after the Taliban takeover.