The Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is reportedly examining the “authenticity” of a letter, which announced that the Afghan embassy in India will shut down by 30 September.
According to official sources, the alleged closure of the embassy comes “in the context of a steady departure of diplomats to third countries reportedly after receiving asylum, as well as reports of infighting amongst the embassy personnel.” The embassy has also blamed the Indian government for a lack of support leading to the closure.
Overview
This week, the decision was conveyed in an unsigned Note Verbale to the MEA.
Afghan journalist Bilal Sarwary shared a copy of the letter on X (previously known as Twitter).
#AFG Sources confirm that the the Afghan Ambassador in India Farid Mamundzay @FMamundzay be closing the mission this month, citing challenges and pressure from Indian authorities and possibly Taliban. pic.twitter.com/uccz8IyitO
— BILAL SARWARY (@bsarwary) September 28, 2023
Afghan Ambassador Farid Mamundzay wrote to the Indian External Affairs Minister on 25 September, stating that the embassy would close its premises.
The letter highlighted that the embassy would close at the end of September, citing an absence of “diplomatic consideration” and systemic “support.”
It said, “The presence of the Afghan Diplomatic Mission in New Delhi cannot function normally without the explicit help of the Indian government.”
The note mentioned that New Delhi had refused several request letters seeking assistance and visas for about 3,000 Afghan students who were expected to travel to India in 2021 but were not given travel papers.
Demands
In its demands, the communique urged India to assume safe custody of Afghan deposits in India, the mission properties, and the India-Afghanistan Fund, which holds $500,000 at present.
It also asked New Delhi to facilitate remaining diplomats and their families to leave via exit permits, which have not been renewed since May 2023.
The letter further requested India to allow the Afghan tricolour to fly over the mission. The flag, previously used by the ousted democratic government of Afghanistan, has not been formally recognised by any country thus far.
Additionally, the letter urged the Indian government not to entrust the mission property to the Taliban, but to hand it over to a legitimate government duly elected by the Afghan people in the future.
The Infighting
Differences between the diplomats in the Afghan Embassy in India, appointed by the previous Ashraf Ghani government, and the Taliban regime are nothing new.
In April 2023, the Taliban attempted to appoint its own ambassador in Delhi, with Qadir Shah claiming that he was appointed as the charge d’affaires at the embassy by the Taliban.
The attempt, which caused a tussle within the embassy, was rebuffed by Farid Mamundzay, the ambassador appointed by the previous Ghani Administration, and other staff members.
While the attempt was unsuccessful, India’s silence on the issue suggested that the country was looking for a change in the embassy.
Mamundzay has been in London for several months, and most of the other diplomats have received asylum in several Western countries, including the US, Canada, and Australia.
India-Taliban Ties
The latest note has alleged a lack of “diplomatic regard and friendly considerations” to the Afghan Embassy that pledged loyalty to the previous Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ever since India opened its mission in Kabul.
Like the rest of the international community, India does not recognise the Taliban regime officially.
However, New Delhi stationed a technical team of diplomats and security personnel in Kabul in June 2022, through which it has been providing humanitarian assistance to the country.
With this, India returned to the Afghan capital almost a year after the entire embassy was evacuated following the takeover of Kabul by the Taliban in August 2021.