Noor Ahmad Noor, a Taliban diplomat, has begun work as charge d’affaires of Afghanistan’s embassy in New Delhi, in a further sign of India’s expanding engagement with the Taliban.
In a statement, the embassy said Noor met India’s joint secretary for Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran to discuss strengthening political and economic ties between the two sides.
The statement said the two sides also discussed facilitating trade and easing India’s visa process for Afghan citizens.
India’s foreign ministry has not publicly confirmed accepting the Taliban-appointed diplomat. However, Indian media have previously reported, citing official sources, that Noor Ahmad Noor had been nominated as the Taliban’s acting envoy in New Delhi.
India does not formally recognise the Taliban administration, but it has steadily expanded contacts since tensions escalated between the Taliban and Pakistan. In recent months, New Delhi has hosted several senior Taliban officials, including the Taliban’s foreign minister.
India reopened its embassy in Kabul in October last year, nearly four years after shutting it following the Taliban’s return to power in 2021. At the same time, control of Afghanistan’s embassy in New Delhi was handed to Taliban-appointed diplomats.
Some Afghan citizens and rights activists have criticised India’s engagement with the Taliban, saying it risks sidelining the demands of the Afghan people and undermining human rights.
Analysts say India’s growing outreach to the Taliban reflects regional rivalries, particularly New Delhi’s efforts to expand its influence in Afghanistan while reducing Pakistan’s role in regional affairs.
