Afghanistan’s Taliban government has appointed its first senior diplomatic representative to India since returning to power in 2021, marking a significant step in expanding its international engagement despite the absence of formal recognition from New Delhi.
According to a statement issued by the Afghan embassy in India, Noor Ahmad Noor, a foreign ministry official of the Taliban administration, has assumed responsibilities as charge d’affaires at the Afghan mission in New Delhi. The appointment makes him the most senior Taliban-appointed official to represent Afghanistan in India to date.
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.
1/3 pic.twitter.com/DpLTaFxUUe— AFG Embassy INDIA (@AFGEmbassyINDIA) January 12, 2026
The embassy said Noor has already held meetings with Indian officials, during which both sides discussed bilateral ties. “Both sides emphasised the importance of strengthening Afghanistan-India relations,” the embassy said in a post on social media platform X late Monday. The post also included a photograph of Noor meeting Anand Prakash, a senior official at India’s Ministry of External Affairs.
India has not officially commented on the appointment. New Delhi does not formally recognise the Taliban government, which seized power following the withdrawal of US and NATO forces from Afghanistan in August 2021. However, India has maintained limited engagement with Kabul through a technical mission and humanitarian assistance.
The move signals a gradual deepening of engagement between India and the Taliban authorities, at a time when regional dynamics are shifting. Analysts note that New Delhi has been seeking to safeguard its strategic interests in Afghanistan, particularly amid strained relations between Kabul and Islamabad. India and Pakistan, long-standing rivals, fought a brief but intense military clash in May 2025, their most serious confrontation in decades.
For the Taliban, the appointment is part of a broader effort to reassert control over Afghanistan’s overseas diplomatic missions and gain international legitimacy. Since returning to power, the group has sought to replace diplomats appointed by the previous Afghan government with its own representatives in several countries, often facing resistance or delays.
India had previously indicated a willingness to expand its diplomatic footprint in Afghanistan. In October, Indian officials said the country would upgrade its technical mission in Kabul to a full embassy, although formal recognition of the Taliban government has not been announced.
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The development is notable given the ideological differences between the Taliban and India’s Hindu nationalist government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Taliban enforces a strict interpretation of Islamic law, which has drawn widespread international criticism, particularly over restrictions on women’s rights and political freedoms.
Despite these differences, India has continued humanitarian aid to Afghanistan and engaged pragmatically with Taliban officials on issues such as security, trade and regional stability.
Internationally, the Taliban government remains largely isolated. Russia is the only country to have officially recognised the administration so far, while most other states, including India, have adopted a cautious approach that stops short of formal diplomatic recognition.
The appointment of a charge d’affaires in New Delhi nonetheless underscores the Taliban’s efforts to normalise relations and India’s willingness to keep channels of communication open.
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