India to reopen its Embassy in Kabul after four years, as External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar announces during talks with Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi. The move marks a significant shift in India-Afghanistan relations.
Qalam Times News Network
New Delhi, October 10, 2025
India’s Embassy in Kabul is set to reopen after a four-year closure, External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar announced on Friday during his official meeting with Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in New Delhi.
The announcement marks a major diplomatic development between India and Afghanistan, symbolizing a cautious yet forward-looking engagement with the Taliban administration. This is the first official visit to India by a Taliban Foreign Minister since the group’s return to power in 2021.
India’s Renewed Engagement with Afghanistan:
During the talks, Minister Jaishankar said, “Your visit is a significant step in advancing our ties and reaffirming the enduring friendship between India and Afghanistan. As a neighbour and well-wisher of the Afghan people, India has a deep interest in your development and progress.”
Reiterating India’s longstanding commitment to Afghan reconstruction, Jaishankar confirmed that several Indian-funded Embassy-linked projects and other development initiatives will resume. He also discussed the maintenance and completion of unfinished infrastructure projects, along with new cooperation in healthcare, education, and humanitarian support.
Development and Humanitarian Assistance:
The Indian Foreign Minister announced six new development projects for Afghanistan, with details to be finalized after bilateral talks. India will also donate 20 ambulances, of which five were symbolically handed over to the visiting minister.
Further commitments include the supply of MRI and CT scan machines, vaccines, cancer medicines, and rehabilitation materials through UN agencies. India also pledged to help reconstruct homes destroyed by recent earthquakes and provide housing for forcibly repatriated Afghan refugees.
Trade, Education, and Connectivity:
Jaishankar noted the resumption of additional flights between Kabul and New Delhi as a positive step in improving trade and mobility. India will expand scholarship opportunities for Afghan students and enhance training programs to build local capacity.
Sports cooperation was also discussed, with India expressing its willingness to further support Afghan cricket, which has become a strong link between the two nations.
Security and Counterterrorism:
Addressing the issue of regional security, Jaishankar underscored that India and Afghanistan share common concerns about cross-border terrorism. “We must coordinate our efforts to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations,” he said, acknowledging the Taliban government’s expression of solidarity with India after the Pahalgam terrorist attack.
Diplomatic Shift — Embassy Upgraded in Kabul:
In a major announcement, the External Affairs Minister declared that India’s existing Embassy mission in Kabul—previously functioning as a limited technical office—will now be upgraded to a full-fledged Embassy of India.
He said,“Closer cooperation between our nations contributes to Afghanistan’s national development as well as regional stability. Upgrading our Embassy symbolizes that commitment.”
This decision signals India’s intent to re-establish a broader diplomatic footprint in Afghanistan, despite not having formally recognized the Taliban regime.
India had closed its Embassy in Kabul in August 2021 following the Taliban’s takeover and the withdrawal of U.S.-led NATO forces. A year later, a small technical mission was reopened to oversee trade, humanitarian aid, and medical assistance.
Currently, embassies from countries such as China, Russia, Iran, Pakistan, and Turkey remain active in Kabul, though only Russia has formally recognized the Taliban administration.
Muttaqi’s visit—approved by the UN Security Council—runs from October 9 to 16, 2025, and includes stops in Agra and Deoband, as well as meetings with members of the Afghan community living in India.
The reopening of the Embassy in Kabul marks a crucial turning point in India’s Afghanistan policy. While maintaining its cautious stance on recognition, New Delhi has chosen engagement over isolation—balancing humanitarian outreach, regional stability, and national security interests.
