The Afghan embassy in New Delhi has officially closed, claiming a lack of support and increasing pressure from both the Indian government and the Taliban.
The closure comes after diplomats hired by the Afghan government, deposed by the Taliban two years ago, struggled to obtain visa extensions from their Indian hosts.
Due to India’s non-recognition of the Taliban administration, which seized power in 2021, Ambassador Farid Mamundzay and mission staff had originally able to continue their operations, including issuing visas and addressing trade concerns.
However, in September, the ambassador and senior staff left for Europe and the United States to seek refuge, causing the embassy to close.
Ambassador Mamundzay explained the decision in an official statement released on X (previously Twitter), saying, “Unfortunately, despite an eight-week wait, the objectives of visa extension for diplomats and a shift in the Indian government’s conduct were not realized.”
Press Statement
— Afghan Embassy India (@AfghanistanInIN) November 24, 2023
24th November, 2023
The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan announces permanent closure in New Delhi.
The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in New Delhi regrets to announce the permanent closure of its diplomatic mission in New Delhi 1/2 pic.twitter.com/VlXRSA0vZ8
The statement emphasized the difficult decision faced by the embassy owing to continual pressure from both the Taliban and the Indian government to hand over sovereignty.
The embassy officially turned over the keys to the host government, effectively ending a period of uncertainty. According to the statement, Afghan diplomats appointed by Ghani’s government in India have relocated to third nations, leaving none in India.
Notably, the only people present in India are Taliban-affiliate diplomats who attend their regular online sessions.
While the statement addressed the Afghan embassy closure in New Delhi, it made no mention of the condition of Afghan consulates in other locations, including Mumbai. Responses from India’s foreign ministry and Afghanistan’s Taliban-run foreign ministry await us for more information on the issue.
