"We're reviewing Kabul embassy's functions, responsibilities and strength": MEA

New Delhi [India], November 8 (ANI): India is currently assessing the future operations, responsibilities, and staffing of its embassy in Kabul, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on Friday. He noted that the review follows recent diplomatic engagements with Afghanistan, including the visit of its Foreign Minister to India and ongoing cooperation discussions between the two sides.

Jaiswal also noted that after the Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Muttaqi's visit to India in October, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held several telephone exchanges with him.

"We had the visit of the Foreign Minister of Afghanistan to India recently, since then, we've also had several exchanges in terms of development cooperation, as also a telephone conversation between the External Affairs Minister and the Foreign Minister of Afghanistan...As far as our own embassy, the operation, the upgrading of our technical mission in Kabul is concerned, we told you that it has been upgraded to an embassy, and we are looking at how to now look at its functionalities, functions, responsibilities, how you want to increase its strength? So these are things that are under consideration, and they will happen subsequently," he said.

The spokesperson's remarks follow the government's announcement last month that India would transition its Technical Mission in Kabul into a full Embassy of India. At the October 16 briefing, the MEA had confirmed that the upgrade would take place soon.

"Presently, we have a technical mission in Kabul. The transition from this technical mission to the embassy will happen in the next few days," Jaiswal had said then.

India's Technical Mission has been operating in Kabul since June 2022, allowing limited diplomatic and humanitarian engagement after India closed its embassy in August 2021 following the withdrawal of US-led NATO forces.

The decision to restore full diplomatic presence came after External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met Afghanistan's Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi during his six-day visit to India last month. In that meeting, Jaishankar announced the upgrade of the mission and reaffirmed India's commitment to Afghanistan.

"India is fully committed to the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of Afghanistan. To enhance that, I am pleased to announce today the upgrading of India's Technical Mission in Kabul to the status of Embassy of India," Jaishankar had said at Hyderabad House.

He also announced a set of development and humanitarian initiatives, including six new projects whose details are expected to be finalised soon.

The reopening of the Indian embassy will mark the first full diplomatic presence in Afghanistan in four years and comes as both sides look to expand cooperation in trade, healthcare and cultural exchange.

Since 2021, India has continued limited outreach through its technical mission, primarily focused on humanitarian aid such as food supplies, medical assistance, and support for education and community infrastructure. (ANI)

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