India will reopen its embassy in Kabul, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar told Taliban-ruled Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi on Friday.

Jaishankar said that Muttaqi’s visit to Delhi marked “an important step” in advancing bilateral relations. The meeting is the highest bilateral contact between India and the Taliban since 2021.

New Delhi has not officially recognised the Taliban government in Afghanistan. However, the Indian government has allowed the Taliban to appoint a consul general in Mumbai.

India closed its embassy in Kabul after the insurgent group retook power in Afghanistan in August 2021 as the United States forces left the country following a 20-year conflict.

However, in June 2022, India deployed a technical team at its diplomatic mission

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