Afghanistan Embassy Closure: A Sign of Diplomatic Turmoil

Amara Malik

The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan’s embassy in New Delhi said on Saturday that it will close its doors from October 1, 2023, citing a lack of Indian government backing and the absence of a legitimately elected government in Kabul. The embassy, which supported the defunct Afghan Republic before the Taliban took over in August 2021, claimed it sought to establish a deal with India to protect the interests of Afghans who reside, work, study, and conduct business in India. It did, however, claim that the amount of staff and resources at its disposal had been significantly reduced, making it harder for it to carry on with operations. Following allegations that the ambassador and other senior diplomats had departed India in recent months due to infighting among those behind in New Delhi, the embassy was shut down. The embassy refuted rumors that there were internal conflicts among its employees, emphasizing that they were “unfounded” rumors. India will assume caretaker administration of the embassy, the statement stated. All this also signifies a change in India’s national interest along with US influence, which will have impacts on the Afghan government and refugees.
The decision to close the embassy is a reflection of the diplomatic turmoil that has gripped Afghanistan ever since the Taliban took over. No foreign government has, as of yet, recognized the Taliban, which is regarded as a terrorist group by several nations, including India. A severe and oppressive regime that abuses the human rights of women, minorities, journalists, members of civil society, and former government officials has also been enforced by the Taliban. Additionally, the Taliban were unable to stop the growth of the Islamic State of Khorasan Province (ISK), a rival terrorist organization that has carried out fatal assaults on mosques, schools, and other locations, mostly targeting Hazara Shia Muslims of ethnic origin.
India has been cautious in its involvement with the Taliban despite having spent billions of dollars providing security and development aid to Afghanistan under the previous administration. Moreover, India has been in touch with the Taliban on occasion, but it hasn’t started any formal negotiations or relationships with the organization. The existence of anti-Indian terrorist organizations like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed in Afghanistan has also drawn alarm from India.
The Afghan embassy’s shutdown in India will have a significant impact on the two countries’ ties as well as the humanitarian situation there. Around 15,000 Afghan refugees are currently living in India, many of them are minorities, women, and children who have fled the brutality of the Taliban. For these refugees, who are currently experiencing uncertainty and instability in India, the embassy provided a crucial source of support and aid. The former Afghan government and India were able to communicate and work together through the embassy because they had similar goals and ideals for advancing democracy, stability, and development in Afghanistan. Due to the closing of the embassy, India’s influence and power over the Afghan peace process as well as the regional security situation would be diminished.
Therefore, India and the rest of the world should act swiftly to alleviate the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, where there is a serious food scarcity, an impending economic collapse, and a profusion of human rights abuses. Additionally, the international community should exert pressure on the Taliban to establish an inclusive government representative of the variety and aspirations of the Afghan people and to protect the rights and dignity of all Afghans, including women and girls. The National Resistance Front (NRF) and other organizations should be supported by the international community in their battle for the survival of the victories won over the last two decades as well as the restoration of the Afghan Republic. At this crucial time, the international world should support the Afghan people who deserve peace, justice and dignity.

The writer is a student of International Relations.