New Delhi upgrades status of technical mission in Kabul to embassy

New Delhi and Kabul renew ties after four years, with plans to boost trade, mining investment, and restore the air freight corridor via Chabahar port

Four years after it withdrew its officials from Kabul following the Taliban’s takeover in August 2021, New Delhi on Friday announced it would upgrade its technical mission in the Afghan capital to the status of an embassy and renew its development work in Afghanistan.

 

The two sides also agreed to boost trade and commercial ties, especially in the mining sector, and restore the air freight corridor.

 

During delegation-level talks in New Delhi, Afghanistan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi invited Indian companies to invest in his country’s mining sector, which Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar “deeply appreciated”. India had significant investments in Afghanistan’s mining sector before 2021.

 

 

Later in the day, Muttaqi said at a press conference that Afghanistan needed technology and expertise in the mining, health, and power-generation sectors. He said Kabul would set up a trade committee to work jointly with India to remove obstacles to trade. Muttaqi, who arrived in India on Thursday for a six-day visit, would travel to Agra and Deoband.

 

India and Afghanistan also resumed their air freight corridor to further enhance direct trade and commerce between the two countries, according to a joint statement. The corridor, launched in June 2017, had operated nearly 1,000 flights carrying goods worth over $216 million until August 2020. “I am glad to note the commencement of additional flights between Kabul and New Delhi,” Jaishankar said.

 

Muttaqi said his government would support India-Afghanistan trade via Iran’s Chabahar Port. Between 2018, when it became operational, and August 2020, the port handled over 5,000 containers ferrying over 110,000 tonnes of wheat and over 2,000 tonnes of pulses sent by India as assistance to Afghanistan. In 2019, Afghanistan shipped around 700 tonnes of agricultural and mineral products to India through the port, demonstrating its feasibility as a transit point for Afghanistan and eventually to Central Asia.

 

Addressing the media at the Afghan Embassy, Muttaqi said Kabul would send diplomats to India as part of its step-by-step efforts to improve bilateral relations.

 

Asked whether India would recognise the Taliban government, Muttaqi hoped relations would normalise gradually. India has not yet recognised the Taliban administration and sought the formation of a truly inclusive government in Kabul. New Delhi hopes that continued engagement could help shape Taliban policies, especially its treatment of Afghan women. However, no women journalists were invited to Muttaqi’s press conference at the Afghan Embassy.

 

Muttaqi assured New Delhi that Afghan soil would not be allowed for any activities detrimental to India’s interests. Jaishankar, in turn, thanked him for condemning the Pahalgam terror attack of April 22. Muttaqi criticised Pakistan’s attack on parts of Afghanistan’s border areas on Thursday, which coincided with his visit to India. He termed Pakistan resorting to such measures a mistake. There has been a downturn in Afghanistan-Pakistan relations lately.

 

During the delegation-level talks, Muttaqi said that during the Taliban’s 20 years of conflict with the United States, there were ups and downs (in its relations with New Delhi), “but not once did we issue a statement against India; instead, we always said we wanted friendly ties with India”. He ruled out handing over the Bagram air base to the US, or the possibility of the presence of any foreign military forces.

 

Jaishankar told Muttaqi that his visit marked an important step in advancing bilateral ties. They discussed maintenance and repair of finished projects, as well as steps to complete others to which India had committed. India pledged to assist Afghanistan in six projects, including constructing a 30-bed hospital in Kabul’s Bagrami district. It also resumed food assistance to the Afghan people, and a consignment was to be delivered in Kabul on Friday.

 

India introduced a new visa module for Afghan people in April. As a result, we are now issuing a greater number of visas, including in medical, business and student categories, Jaishankar said. Before 2021, India was involved in over 500 development and infrastructure projects across Afghanistan, in areas ranging from power and water supplies to education and health care.

 

Following withdrawal of officials from its Kabul embassy after the Taliban seized power in August 2021, India re-established its diplomatic presence in the Afghan capital by deploying a “technical team” in June 2022. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met Muttaqi in Dubai in January to boost trade through the Chabahar port.

 

Afghanistan, which is key to India’s efforts to improve trade with Central Asia, has mineral reserves that are estimated to be worth $1 trillion. China has continued to be active in Afghanistan’s mining sector since 2021.