India to reopen its embassy in Afghan capital Kabul

10/10/2025 15:45

India will reopen its embassy in the Afghan capital Kabul that was shut four years ago, Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said on Friday, a significant move that expands the diplomatic links of the country governed by the Taliban.



India had closed its embassy in Kabul after the Taliban seized power following the withdrawal of U.S.-led NATO forces in 2021, but opened a small mission a year later to facilitate trade, medical support, and humanitarian aid.



About a dozen countries including China, Russia, Iran, Pakistan and Turkey have embassies operating in Kabul, although Russia is the only country to have formally recognised the Taliban administration.



New Delhi's announcement came as Afghan Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi began talks with Jaishankar on what is the first visit to India by a Taliban leader since 2021.



"India is fully committed to the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of Afghanistan," Jaishankar told Muttaqi in his opening remarks.