India to reopen embassy in Kabul as two FMs meet

India on Friday announced the upgrading of its technical mission in Kabul to the status of an embassy and pledged to renew its development works in Afghanistan.

- Press Trust of India

External affairs minister S Jaishankar hands over five ambulances as a goodwill gesture to Afghanistan's foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, in New Delhi, on Friday.

(ANI)

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also appreciated the Taliban setup for showing sensitivity towards New Delhi's security concerns.

Jaishankar made the twin announcements during his wide-ranging talks with Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, who landed in New Delhi on Thursday ona six-day visit.

India had withdrawn its officials from its embassy in Kabul after the Taliban seized power in August 2021. In June 2022, India reestablished its diplomatic presence in the Afghan capital by deploying a “technical team”.

In his opening remarks at the meeting, Jaishankar listed cross-border terrorism as a shared threat for both the countries and said India and Afghanistan must coordinate efforts to combat the menace.

On his part, Muttaqi assured India that Afghanistan will not allow any element to use its territory against New Delhi's interests and identified the Daesh terror group (ISIS) as the main challenge for the region. He added that Kabul is at the frontlines of this struggle.