Key Points:
- Noor Ahmad Noor arrives in Delhi as Taliban-appointed Charge d’Affaires at Afghan embassy
- Appointment follows October 2025 visit by Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi to India
- India has not formally recognized Taliban government but accepts diplomats for embassy functioning
- Embassy previously headed by official appointed by former President Ashraf Ghani’s government
- Afghan consulates in Mumbai and Hyderabad already operating under Taliban-appointed diplomats
- Previous Taliban attempt to appoint charge d’affaires in April 2023 failed due to staff resistance
Noor Ahmad Noor has previously served as the Director General of the First Political Division at the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He is an influential senior member of the Taliban regime, specializing in managing South Asian affairs. Noor Ahmad Noor was also part of the delegation that accompanied Foreign Minister Muttaqi on his visit to India and has now taken charge in Delhi. His appointment represents the first time the Taliban has successfully placed a diplomat at the embassy level in India since taking power in August 2021.
Shift in Diplomatic Relations
During Muttaqi’s seven-day visit to India in October 2025, significant discussions were held to improve relations between the two countries. During this visit, a mutual agreement was reached to accept diplomats appointed by the Islamic Emirate at the embassy in New Delhi. India has gradually advanced the process of engagement with officials appointed by the Taliban, based on humanitarian assistance and technical cooperation. The Indian government announced it would upgrade its technical mission in Kabul to full embassy status, allowing the Taliban to post diplomats in India, similar to steps taken by countries including China, Russia, Pakistan, and several Gulf and Central Asian states.
Current Status of the Embassy
Before Noor Ahmad Noor’s appointment, the New Delhi embassy was headed by Saeed Mohammad Ibrahim Khil, who was appointed by the government of former President Ashraf Ghani. Currently, the Afghan consulates in Mumbai and Hyderabad are also successfully operating through diplomats appointed by the Taliban. With Noor taking charge, the Delhi embassy will now also come completely under the influence of the current Kabul administration. However, Indian officials said existing embassy staff in New Delhi would, for now, continue in their roles and the flag of the previous Afghan republic would remain in place, though this could change once the new envoy formally assumes charge.
Previous Appointment Attempts and Challenges
A previous Taliban attempt to appoint a charge d’affaires in New Delhi in April 2023 failed after embassy staff blocked the nominee from entering the premises. The Taliban later succeeded in posting its representative to the Afghan consulate in Mumbai, but Mohammad Ebrahimkhil, a diplomat appointed under the former Ashraf Ghani government, continued as charge d’affaires in New Delhi. The successful appointment of Noor Ahmad Noor marks a breakthrough in Taliban’s diplomatic efforts in India after nearly five years of the regime’s control over Afghanistan.
India’s Balanced Approach
The Indian government has adopted a very balanced and cautious diplomatic approach towards the Taliban regime. While formal recognition remains withheld, the appointment of diplomats to facilitate the smooth functioning of the embassy has been accepted. This approach reflects India’s intention to deepen ties with Afghanistan in areas of mutual interest while maintaining its principled position on recognition. In the coming months, Noor Ahmad Noor’s role will determine the new direction in which trade and diplomatic relations between India and Afghanistan will evolve, particularly as India seeks to prevent Afghanistan from re-emerging as a hub for militancy and terrorism that threatens India’s security.
