Afghan Embassy in Delhi shuts down

'Failure to meet expectations in serving Afghanistan's interests key factor in shutting of embassy'

The Afghan Embassy in India's capital New Delhi will cease operations from October 1 (Sunday), due to a lack of support from India and a reduction in personnel and resources, the embassy said in a statement on social media platform X.

The embassy also said a failure to meet expectations in serving Afghanistan's interests is another key factor in shutting of the embassy.

Press Statement
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: 30th September, 2023

Afghanistan is closing its Embassy in New Delhi.

The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in New Delhi regrets to announce the decision to cease its operations, effective October 1, 2023. pic.twitter.com/BXesWPdLFP

— Afghan Embassy India (@AfghanistanInIN) September 30, 2023

"Given these circumstances, it is with deep regret that we have taken the difficult decision to close all operations of the mission with the exception of emergency consular services to Afghan citizens till the transfer of the custodial authority of the mission to the host country," the embassy said in the statement dated Sept. 30.

India does not recognise the Taliban government, and closed its own embassy in Kabul after the Taliban took control in 2021, but New Delhi had allowed the ambassador and mission staff appointed by the Western-backed government of ousted Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to issue visas and handle trade matters.

Reuters had reported on Friday that the Afghan embassy in India suspended all operations after the ambassador and other senior diplomats left the country for Europe and the United States where they gained asylum, citing three embassy officials.