NEW DELHI: India has restored its Technical Mission in Kabul to the status of a full-fledged embassy, signalling a renewed phase of engagement with Afghanistan.

The External Affairs Ministry announced the decision on Tuesday, confirming that the upgrade is effective immediately. “In keeping with the decision announced during the recent visit of the Afghan Foreign Minister to India, the Government is restoring the status of the Technical Mission of India in Kabul to that of Embassy of India in Afghanistan with immediate effect,” the MEA said in an official release.

The move follows a meeting between Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in New Delhi earlier this month. Security concerns surrounding the Indian mission in Kabul were a key focus of their discussions.