Afghanistan’s Taliban government has appointed Noor Ahmad Noor, a foreign ministry official, as charge d’affaires to lead its embassy in New Delhi. This is the first such senior posting since the Taliban returned to power.
India has not officially recognized the Taliban government. Still, the appointment shows growing contact between the two sides, at a time when New Delhi is watching widening rifts between Islamabad and Kabul.
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According to the Afghan Embassy, Noor Ahmad Noor has already met Indian officials. In a statement posted on X, the embassy said “Both sides emphasized the importance of strengthening Afghanistan-India relations.”
India has not issued an official comment so far. However, the Afghan Embassy shared a photograph showing Noor Ahmad Noor with senior Indian foreign ministry official Anand Prakash.
The Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan in New Delhi, H.E. Mufti Noor Ahmad Noor, met with Mr. Anand Prakash, Joint Secretary of the Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran (PAI) Division at the Ministry of External Affairs of India.
— AFG Embassy INDIA (@AFGEmbassyINDIA) January 12, 2026
1/3 pic.twitter.com/DpLTaFxUUe
The Taliban’s strict policies may seem at odds with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist government. Even so, India appears keen to use the diplomatic opening.
Regional tensions have sharpened this interest. Pakistan and India, both nuclear-armed rivals, fought a brief but deadly clash in May 2025, their worst in decades. Pakistan has also seen border clashes with Kabul and carried out retaliation after attacks on its posts, which Islamabad says were backed by Taliban-linked forces.
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For the Taliban, the envoy’s appointment is a major step. The group is trying to regain control of Afghanistan’s overseas missions as part of a broader push for international legitimacy.
In October, India announced plans to upgrade its technical mission in Afghanistan into a full embassy. At present, Russia remains the only country to have officially recognized the Taliban government.
