"India reopens embassy in Kabul, marking its first diplomatic engagement with the Taliban since their 2021 takeover. India has announced that it is upgrading its technical mission in Kabul to a full-fledged embassy, cementing its first high-level diplomatic engagement with Afghanistan's Taliban administration since the group seized power in 2021 after the United States withdrawal and fall of the previous government. Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Friday revealed the decision following talks with his Afghan counterpart in New Delhi."
"Closer cooperation between us contributes to your national development, as well as regional stability and resilience, Jaishanker noted, addressing Afghanistan's Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi at a joint news briefing. Jaishankar said India was fully committed to the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of Afghanistan. He thanked Muttaqi for his invitation to Indian companies to explore mining opportunities in Afghanistan."
"There was controversy, however, as female journalists were not allowed in for the news briefing, a move likely requested by the Taliban delegation, who have again cracked down on women's and girls' rights and their access to education and jobs in Afghanistan since they recaptured power, drawing international condemnation. The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants in July for two top Taliban leaders in Afghanistan on charges of abuses against women and girls."
India upgraded its technical mission in Kabul to a full embassy, marking the first high-level diplomatic engagement with the Taliban since the group's 2021 takeover. Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar announced the decision after talks with Taliban counterpart Amir Khan Muttaqi, emphasizing commitment to Afghanistan's sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence. Jaishankar welcomed cooperation for national development and regional stability and thanked Muttaqi for inviting Indian firms to explore mining opportunities. India had maintained a limited mission to oversee trade, medical and humanitarian efforts after the 2021 closure. The Taliban pledged counterterrorism measures, while concerns arose over exclusion of female journalists and documented rights abuses.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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