Jaishankar Announces India’s Embassy Reopening in Taliban-Run Kabul

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar announced the reopening of India’s embassy in Kabul during a landmark meeting with Taliban-ruled Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi on Friday. The decision marks a significant step toward normalizing diplomatic ties with the Taliban regime, a move that signals India’s pragmatic recalibration in engaging with Afghanistan’s new reality.

“Your visit is a milestone in strengthening India-Afghanistan relations,” Jaishankar told Muttaqi, emphasizing India’s commitment as a “well-wisher” of the Afghan people. He reaffirmed India’s dedication to Afghanistan’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence, while highlighting the renewal of a long-standing partnership that has fueled numerous Indian developmental projects in the country. “Our collaboration stands renewed, with a deep interest in Afghanistan’s progress,” Jaishankar stated, referencing initiatives like schools, hospitals, and infrastructure built over decades.

The talks come in the wake of heightened security concerns following the recent Pahalgam terror attack, with Jaishankar acknowledging the Taliban’s sensitivity toward India’s apprehensions. “We value your cooperation in addressing our security concerns,” he noted, signaling a cautious but optimistic approach to rebuilding trust. The decision to reopen the embassy, shuttered since the Taliban’s 2021 takeover, underscores India’s intent to maintain influence in a geopolitically volatile region while balancing humanitarian and strategic interests.

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Muttaqi’s visit, approved by the UN Security Council from October 9 to 16, is the first by a Taliban foreign minister to India, marking a seismic moment in bilateral ties. Beyond New Delhi, Muttaqi’s itinerary includes visits to Agra and the Deoband seminary, alongside meetings with Afghan community members in India, reflecting efforts to deepen cultural and people-to-people connections.

India’s nuanced engagement with the Taliban, long viewed with skepticism due to security and ideological concerns, signals a pragmatic pivot. Analysts see this as a bid to counterbalance regional players like China and Pakistan while ensuring India’s developmental legacy in Afghanistan—spanning education, healthcare, and infrastructure—remains intact. The embassy’s reopening could also facilitate humanitarian aid and trade, vital for Afghanistan’s war-torn economy.

As Muttaqi’s visit unfolds, all eyes are on how India navigates this delicate diplomatic tightrope, balancing regional stability, security imperatives, and its historical affinity with the Afghan people. The move, hailed as bold yet cautious, sets the stage for a new chapter in India-Afghanistan relations, with potential ripple effects across South Asia’s geopolitical landscape.

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