On Friday, Afghanistan’s embassy in India announced its permanent closure due to what New Delhi called “persistent challenges”.
In September, embassy officials said the problems included a lack of support from New Delhi and claims that the agreements had not been considered since the Taliban took over Afghanistan in 2021. The embassy has been closed since 23 November. A statement on X’s website said the embassy regretted the decision:
“The decision follows the embassy’s earlier cessation of operations on September 30, a move made in the hope that the Indian government stance would favourably change to let the mission operate normally.”
The embassy was pressured by New Delhi and the Taliban regime in Kabul to “relinquish control,” the report said. Diplomats appointed by the previous Afghan government ran the embassy. The Taliban seized power in Kabul in August 2021.
Ambassador Farid Mamundzai, appointed by the government of former President Ashraf Ghani, has been in London for months, while most of the mission’s other diplomats “have left for third countries”, the embassy said. The diplomats are believed to have sought asylum in countries such as the US, Canada and Australia.
Those who remained in New Delhi are believed to be linked to the Taliban, the embassy said. The international community, including India, has not yet recognised the Taliban. New Delhi has also historically shunned the group.
The embassy said attempts were being made to “tarnish the image and hamper diplomatic efforts to justify the presence and work of Taliban-appointed and Taliban-affiliated diplomats.” The statement read:
“In the face of these challenges, our committed team worked diligently in the most difficult circumstances, prioritising the interests of the 40 million Afghans in every possible sphere from securing humanitarian aid and online education scholarships to facilitating ease in trade and advocating for the formation of a broad-based government.”
The report said India “is a steadfast strategic partner” in the troubled region.
In June last year, India reopened its embassy in Kabul, sending a “technical team” to monitor humanitarian assistance and the country’s engagement with Afghans. The move comes a year after India expelled its ambassador and 120 diplomatic staff from the Afghan capital after the Taliban seized power.
