Taliban to appoint 1st diplomat in India since 2021 takeover
What's the story
The Taliban regime is set to appoint its first diplomat in New Delhi, India. This will be the first such appointment since the group took control of Afghanistan in August 2021. The decision comes after Afghanistan's acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi's visit to India last month. During his visit, India reiterated its commitment to providing humanitarian and medical assistance to Afghanistan without formally recognizing the Taliban government.
Diplomatic upgrade
Charge d'Affaires likely to lead missions
Muttaqi's visit also saw India announcing plans to upgrade its technical mission in Kabul into a full-fledged embassy. Both countries are likely to have chargés d'affaires leading their respective missions soon. A Taliban spokesperson welcomed India's recent donation of over 16 tons of anti-vector-borne disease medicines, saying this donation "underscores India's longstanding partnership and developmental support to Afghanistan."
Political significance
Political implications of Muttaqi's visit
The visit also had political significance, with the Taliban supporting India's sovereignty over Jammu and Kashmir. New Delhi reiterated its support for Afghanistan's sovereignty and territorial integrity. The renewed engagement comes amid rising tensions between the Taliban and Pakistan after recent border clashes. Although both sides initially agreed to a ceasefire, the situation remains tense as accusations fly on both sides.
Accusations
Tensions between Taliban and Pakistan
The Taliban has accused Pakistan of "working to create chaos in Afghanistan" to facilitate a possible return of the United States to Bagram airbase. This accusation comes after Islamabad conducted cross-border airstrikes against Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) camps inside Afghanistan. The attacks were aimed at the group's leadership, which Islamabad accused of planning deadly assaults on Pakistani troops.