Afghanistan: India to reopen embassy in Kabul; may recognize Taliban govt
Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: In a significant development, India has decided to reopen its embassy in Kabul and resume development projects in Afghanistan, viewed as a prelude to recognizing the Taliban-controlled government, the media reported on Friday.
Visiting Afghan Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi has assured the renewal of India’s long-standing partnership with Afghanistan.
With New Delhi’s decision to upgrade diplomatic and economic ties with the Taliban regime, India has reaffirmed its development partnership through the resumption of old projects and discussions on new ones, the reports said.
“India is fully committed to the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence of Afghanistan. Closer cooperation between us contributes to your national development, as well as regional stability and resilience. To enhance that, I am pleased to announce today the upgrading of India’s Technical Mission in Kabul to the status of Embassy of India,” External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said during his talks with Muttaqi on Friday.
The Afghan foreign minister arrived in New Delhi on Thursday from Russia, having obtained a temporary exemption from UN sanctions that allowed him to travel.
This is the first time a Taliban foreign minister is visiting India after the militant group recaptured Kabul in August 2021, overthrowing the Islamic Republic. Until now, Russia has remained the only country to have formally recognised the Taliban government in Afghanistan.
“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. Today, I reaffirm that our long-standing partnership, which has supported numerous Indian projects in Afghanistan, continues to stand strong,” Dr. Jaishankar told Muttaqi.
The EAM pointed out that India and Afghanistan had a shared interest in boosting trade and commerce and appreciated the commencement of additional flights between Kabul and New Delhi. He also announced that India will expand avenues for Afghan students to pursue studies at Indian universities as well as support Afghan cricket.
Without naming Pakistan, Dr. Jaishankar said India was deeply concerned about the plight of forcibly repatriated Afghan refugees. “Their dignity and livelihood is important. India agrees to help construct residences for them and continue providing material aid to rebuild their lives,” he said.
As a neighbour and well-wisher of the Afghan people, India has a deep interest in the landlocked country’s development and progress, Dr. Jaishankar said.
“Today, I reaffirm that our longstanding partnership that has seen so many Indian projects in Afghanistan, stands renewed. We can discuss the maintenance and repairs of finished projects as well as steps to complete others to which we have already committed. Beyond that, other development priorities of Afghanistan can be discussed by our teams,” he said.
He stressed that India had long extended support for the health security of Afghanistan, including during the COVID-19 pandemic. “We are now ready to commit to six new projects, whose details can be announced after the conclusion of our talks,” he said.
India will also gift 20 ambulances to Afghanistan as a gesture of goodwill. Five of these would be handed over personally by him to the Afghan minister as a symbolic step, Dr. Jaishankar said.
