Senior Taliban Official Mufti Noor Ahmad Noor Takes Charge at Afghan Embassy in New Delhi

A senior Taliban leader, Mufti Noor Ahmad Noor, has arrived in New Delhi to assume the role of Charge d’Affaires at the Embassy of Afghanistan, officials confirmed on Saturday. His arrival marks another visible step in the evolving engagement between India and Afghanistan under the Taliban administration.

Mufti Noor Ahmad Noor previously served as Director General of the First Political Department at Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He was also part of the high-level delegation led by Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi during his seven-day visit to India in October, a trip that signaled a noticeable shift in diplomatic dynamics.

During that visit, Muttaqi publicly asserted control over the Afghan Embassy in New Delhi. Responding to questions from the media, he pointed to the Islamic Emirate’s flag displayed behind and in front of him, declaring that the embassy was fully under Taliban authority. This assertion came despite the embassy officially continuing to display the flag of the former Ashraf Ghani-led government.

India has not formally recognised the Taliban government. However, bilateral engagement has steadily increased in recent months. New Delhi has emerged as one of Afghanistan’s key humanitarian partners, supplying food aid, medicines, and other essential assistance to the Afghan people.

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Taliban-appointed diplomats are already managing Afghanistan’s consulates in Mumbai and Hyderabad, reflecting a broader administrative transition. Until recently, the Afghan Embassy in New Delhi was headed by Said Muhammad Ibrahim Khil, who had been appointed by the previous Ghani administration.

Diplomatic exchanges between the two sides have continued, with multiple Afghan delegations visiting India to discuss trade ties, energy cooperation, regional connectivity, and the effective use of the India-developed Chabahar Port in Iran. These engagements also aim to attract investment and stabilise economic links amid Afghanistan’s ongoing challenges.

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While formal recognition remains off the table, the appointment of Mufti Noor Ahmad Noor underscores the gradual reshaping of India-Afghanistan relations in a complex regional and geopolitical environment.