India has officially reopened its embassy in Afghanistan, marking a new chapter in its engagement with the Taliban—a move that is expected to give a diplomatic jolt to Pakistan.
This is the first time that New Delhi has upgraded its diplomatic mission since the Taliban took control in 2021.
Reports say that India will appoint a chargé d'affaires to head its diplomatic mission in Kabul, and eventually an ambassador.
Meanwhile, the Taliban are expected to send two diplomats to New Delhi by November this year.
Muttaqi's visit to India
The move comes just days after Afghanistan's Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi visited New Delhi.
During a bilateral meeting on Oct 10, both India and Afghanistan pledged to deepen diplomatic ties.
Though India has yet to recognise the Taliban regime’s governance in Afghanistan, the timing is significant.
Amidst India’s outreach to the Taliban, Pakistan’s ties with Kabul are deteriorating.
Since the regime change in Afghanistan, the Taliban and Pakistan have been at loggerheads.
From cross-border terrorism, the deportation of Afghan refugees, to the Durand Line clashes, the once staunch allies have turned foes.
Pakistan claims that India was responsible for the recent flare-up at the Durand Line border, which coincided with Mutaqqi’s visit to New Delhi.
Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif even claimed that Kabul was acting like a "proxy of India".
He further alleged that Muttaqi made some “plans” during his visit to India.
Pak, Afghan trade barbs
But the accusations were met with a firm response from the Taliban side.
Defence Minister Mullah Yaqoob dubbed Pakistan’s allegations as “unfounded, illogical, and unacceptable”.
In an interview with Al Jazeera, Yaqoob said that Kabul will “strengthen” ties with New Delhi “within the framework” of their national interests.
Even as Afghanistan and Pakistan traded barbs, India quietly signalled its intent to engage with the Taliban—a move that comes at the expense of Islamabad’s waning influence in the region.
