19 Feb 2025, New Delhi:
The Taliban-led government in Afghanistan is pushing to reopen its embassy in New Delhi and has submitted a list of proposed diplomats to India, sources have revealed. Najib Shaheen, son of the Taliban’s Qatar-based spokesperson Suhail Shaheen, is at the top of the list.
This move follows the Taliban’s appointment of India-based Afghan national Ikramuddin Kamil as acting consul in Mumbai last November the first such appointment by the regime in India. Kamil, a law graduate from Islamabad’s Islamic University and New Delhi’s South Asian University, was chosen despite India’s reluctance to engage formally with the Taliban.
The latest development comes after a meeting on January 8 in Dubai between India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Afghanistan’s acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi. Misri reiterated India’s strong ties with the Afghan people but did not commit to accepting a Taliban-nominated envoy.
Indian authorities remain cautious, with sources indicating that New Delhi may consider reopening its embassy in Kabul before approving the Taliban’s request. The Afghan embassy in New Delhi announced its closure on November 24, 2023, citing pressure from both India and the Taliban. Afghan Republic diplomats had handed over the mission’s responsibility to the Indian government, leaving the decision on its future in New Delhi’s hands.
India has consistently maintained that it will not officially recognize the Taliban regime until there is progress on issues like human rights, minority protection, and inclusive governance in Afghanistan. With geopolitical implications at stake, India is treading carefully on the Taliban’s latest request.
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