Afghanistan’s embassy in India on Sunday suspended all its operations, more than two years after the Taliban came to power in Kabul following the fall of the US-backed Ashraf Ghani government.
The mission cited “lack of diplomatic support in India and the absence of a legitimate functioning government in Kabul to meet the expectations and requirements necessary to serve the best interests of Afghanistan” as one of the reasons for closing its India office. Cited “failure”. ,
The unsigned statement said it has become “increasingly challenging” to continue operations due to reductions in staff and resources, including “the lack of timely and adequate support from visa renewals for diplomats”.
The closure follows reports that the ambassador and other senior diplomats had left India in recent months due to infighting among those remaining in New Delhi.
However, the embassy statement “categorically rejects any baseless claims regarding internal discord” among staff, and denies that diplomats “are using the crisis to seek asylum in a third country.” Were”.
Most foreign nations do not officially recognize the Taliban government of Afghanistan, but accept them as the de facto ruling authority.
This has left many Afghan embassies and consulates in limbo, with former government-appointed diplomats refusing to hand over control of embassy buildings and property to representatives chosen by Taliban officials.
India has said it will follow the UN lead in deciding whether to recognize the Taliban government.
What about India in Kabul?
India evacuated its entire mission from Kabul after the Taliban locked down the Afghan capital in August 2021, but sent a small team back to reopen its sprawling embassy in June last year.
India sent relief material including wheat, medicine, COVID-19 vaccines and winter clothes to Afghanistan to tackle the shortage in 2022.