“India follows a pragmatic engagement with Afghan authorities”: Minister
India has not formally recognised the Taliban but is continuing to engage with it.
By IAR Desk
India follows a pragmatic engagement with Afghan authorities. This was stated by Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh in parliament in response to a query on India’s engagement with the Taliban. This, the minister said, has enabled India to protect its interests.
“India follows a pragmatic engagement with Afghan authorities, which has enabled us to protect our interests and to facilitate humanitarian assistance and address the developmental needs of the Afghan people. In line with this approach, the Government has restored the status of the Technical Mission of India in Kabul to that of the Embassy of India in Afghanistan with effect from 21 October 2025,” said the Minister.
Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar had an ounce in October this year, during the visit of the acting Taliban foreign minister Mullah Amir Khan Muttaqi, that India would upgrade its diplomatic representation in Kabul to a full fledged Embassy.
India had closed its embassy in Kabul in August 2021 when few days before the Taliban seized power in Kabul.
Last year India announced that it was reopening the Embassy where only a technical team would be based.
Calling Afghanistan a contiguous neighbour with deep historical and cultural ties, Singh said India’s approach to Afghanistan has always been guided by our long-standing friendship and special relationship with the Afghan people.
The minister emphasised that India’s development partnership with Afghanistan comprises more than 500 projects across various provinces in key sectors such as power, water supply, connectivity, healthcare, education, agriculture and capacity building.
“Our Embassy in Kabul continues to monitor the status of developmental projects in Afghanistan,” he added.
India has not formally recognised the Taliban but is continuing to engage with it. Soon after Muttaqi’s visit, the acting Trade Minister Haji Nooruddin Azizi visited Delhi recently in November this year.
India is also continuing with its humanitarian outreach to Afghanistan, especially in the wake of the closure of the borders between Afghanistan and Pakistan. It this week supplied 63734 dozes of influenza and meningitis vaccines to Afghanistan.
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