Taliban appoints Consul in India for first time after Afghan takeover

Afghanistan’s consulate in Mumbai has resumed full operations with the appointment of Dr Hafiz Ikramuddin Kamil as the new acting consul, reportedly supported by Kabul, marking the first official diplomatic posting by Afghanistan in India since the Taliban took control in 2021.

The announcement, made by a senior Taliban official late Monday night on social media, has yet to be formally acknowledged by the Indian government, which maintains a policy of non-recognition of the Taliban regime. However, sources confirmed the appointment, noting it is not an endorsement of the Taliban government, The Wire reported.

The resumption of consular functions in Mumbai is a continuation of a trend following the Taliban’s 2021 return to power. Afghan diplomatic missions in India have been caught in a complex transition period, as diplomats who represented the previous government largely exited their posts.

In the last two years, the Afghan embassy in New Delhi and consulates in other cities, including Hyderabad and Mumbai, have seen turnover as former diplomats sought asylum abroad or gradually ceased operations. However, a few Afghan officials who were appointed under the previous regime had continued to work under the new leadership in Kabul.

Until May of this year, Zakia Wardak served as the Afghan consul general in Mumbai, alongside Sayed Mohammad Ibrahimkhil, the consul general in Hyderabad, both of whom were originally appointed under the former Afghan Republic.

Wardak’s resignation in May followed a high-profile incident involving her detention at Mumbai airport with a substantial amount of undeclared gold. This incident led to her departure from India, although diplomatic immunity shielded her from prosecution. Subsequently, Ibrahimkhil had taken over operations for all three Afghan diplomatic missions in India.

The newly appointed Dr Kamil is an Afghan national with a robust educational background in India, including MPhil and LLM degrees from South Asian University in Delhi, where he also recently completed his doctorate. His academic expertise lies in international investment law, and his familiarity with India has reportedly facilitated his transition to the diplomatic role.

Although India has reiterated its non-recognition stance toward the Taliban, officials suggested that Kamil’s role in the consulate is primarily focused on assisting the Afghan community within India, rather than any form of endorsement of the current Afghan government.

Afghan diplomatic posts in India continue to display the tricolour flag of the former Republic, in line with India’s current stance. Nevertheless, the operationalisation of the consulate under Kamil comes amid an increasing level of pragmatic engagement between Indian officials and the Taliban. In recent months, India has maintained contacts with the Taliban on various fronts, despite the absence of formal recognition.

Meanwhile, Afghan consular services have continued to address the needs of the large Afghan community in India, including refugees, students, and business people. The consulate in Mumbai has recently resumed passport distribution, following instructions from Taliban leadership

Indian officials emphasised that while Kamil’s appointment aligns with the consulate’s operational needs, it does not alter India's formal stance on the Taliban government. Any decisions regarding official recognition will continue to follow established diplomatic protocols in collaboration with the international community, officials indicated.