The Afghanistan embassy in New Delhi has closed after diplomats appointed by the Ashraf Ghani government failed to secure visa extensions from India.
The outgoing ambassador, Farid Mamundzay, stated that despite an initial allowance for embassy operations, the situation changed in September when he and senior staff left for Europe and the US to seek asylum.
The embassy suspended operations, and now, with no visa extensions granted, it has officially shut down.
The embassy cited pressure from both the Taliban and the Indian government as contributing factors. Mamundzay noted that despite an eight-week wait, the objectives for visa extensions and a shift in Indian government conduct were not realized. Afghan diplomats appointed by Ghani’s government have left India, with only Taliban-affiliated individuals remaining.
The fate of Afghan consulates in other Indian cities, including Mumbai, remains unclear. No responses have been received from India’s foreign ministry or the Taliban-run Afghan foreign ministry.
