The embassy of Afghanistan in India, established by former West-backed government, has announced its closure, saying it would cease operations starting from October 1 while citing lack of crucial support from India and the absence of a legitimate functioning of Taliban government.
In a statement, the embassy said: “There has been a significant reduction in both personnel and resources available to us, making it increasingly challenging to continue operations.”
“It is with profound sadness, regret, and disappointment that the Embassy of Afghanistan in New Delhi announces this decision to cease its operations,” reads the statement.
The decision was taken due to lack of “crucial support” from India which has hampered the embassy’s capacity to carry out the embassy’s duties, it reads.
There were also shortcomings in meeting the expectations to best serve Afghani citizens due to “the absence of a legitimate functioning of government in Kabul”, read the statement, referring to the Taliban administration.
India will take control of the embassy in a caretaker capacity, it added.
The closure follows reports that the ambassador and other senior diplomats had left India in recent months, with infighting among those remaining in New Delhi. But the embassy rejected speculations regarding internal infighting among its staff, stressing that these were “unfounded” rumours.
It is pertinent to mention that the closure comes more than two years after the Taliban took over power in Kabul following the US troop’s withdrawal amid 20 years of war and occupation.
Afghans account for around one-third of the nearly 40,000 refugees registered in India, according to the United Nations’ refugee agency. But that figure excludes those who are not registered with the UN.
India had maintained close relations with Afghanistan's West-backed leaders for nearly two decades. Still, engaging with the new Taliban regime poses considerable challenges, as both Pakistan and China have already hosted senior Taliban officials with China seeking to invest in Afghan infrastructure, and Pakistan permitting Taliban officials on diplomatic posts.