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At the base of the controversy over the Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi’s exclusion of women from his first press conference, is a deeper tussle between the Taliban regime in Kabul that calls itself the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, and the former democratically elected Afghan Government that referred to itself as the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, which is still recognised by India, over control of the Afghan Embassy compound in Delhi. The diplomatic staff remaining at the Embassy saw the press conferences, which they claim the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had encouraged, as an attempt to grab control of the Embassy, and now say they fear for their lives and the safety of their families.
The MEA has consistently rejected any role, saying it had “no involvement in the press interaction” held by Mr. Muttaqi.
After outrage from journalist groups over his first press conference in Delhi last Friday (October 10, 2025), Mr. Muttaqi held a second one, inviting journalists without any gender restriction on Sunday (October 12). Even as the Republic’s red, green and black tricolour flew on the tall flagpole in front of the Embassy, the Taliban delegation used the occasion of the press meets to smuggle in their own black and white flags to the Embassy to use as a backdrop and on the table in front. Russia, China, Pakistan and some Gulf and Central Asian countries have accepted the Emirate flag at Afghan Embassies, but none of the Western and East Asian countries that host Embassies of the former government have so far.
“We waged ‘jihad’ under this flag. We fought with the flag and won with the flag, and that’s the reason we have this flag here today,” Mr. Muttaqi said in response to a question from The Hindu on Sunday (Ocotober 12). When asked how much of the Embassy they controlled, given the Republic flag outside, “100%”, the Minister replied, claiming all 5,00,00 government employees and mission staff worldwide now work for the Islamic Emirate. However, the Charge d’Affaires of the Afghan Embassy Delhi Mohammad Ibrahimkhil, who was present at the press conference said the claim was “completely false”.
The Hindu spoke to a number of Afghan staff at the Embassy and former Ambassadors and diplomats who had served in Delhi previously who also contested the Taliban claims.
“This is a lie. Until the Indian Government doesn’t recognise the Taliban Government, this Embassy is with the Republic and our flag is flying on Shantipath. When India recognises them, we will respectfully leave, and hand the MEA the keys to the Embassy. Then it is for the MEA to decide whether India will fly the Emirate flag of the Taliban here,” said one staffers who unsuccessfully tried to stop the Taliban delegation from putting up its flags on both occasions. On Sunday (October 12), the Taliban installed a bigger flag, although the staff removed the official Embassy podium from the stage.
One of the staff members said they had earlier pleaded with the MEA that Mr. Muttaqi’s press conference be held at the 5 star Hotel in Delhi where the Acting Afghanistan Minister and delegation were hosted by the Indian Government.
“We were told that not allowing Mr. Muttaqi to hold the press conference inside the Embassy would mean that we were taking a stand against India. We then agreed to it, as we respect the Indian Government, and they had promised to protect us earlier,” said another. None of the staffers agreed to be identified, as they say their families in Afghanistan could be targeted.
This isn’t first time Embassy staffers have “defended” the premises. In May 2023, the staff locked the Embassy gates and refused to allow Qadir Shah, an Afghan carrying an appointment letter from the Taliban Ministry of Foreign Affairs, into the premises in May 2023, and he abandoned the attempt to take over as CDA.
With India now agreeing to upgrade its technical mission to an Embassy in Kabul, and Mr. Muttaqi’s announcement that India will now accept the Emirate’s diplomats, the staff members said they will be powerless to resist any further takeover, and fear losing their jobs, and their safety if they are forced to return to Afghanistan.
The MEA did not respond to a series of questions on the situation at the Embassy posed by The Hindu, and at what level India and the Acting Government of Afghanistan would exchange diplomats after the agreement announced by External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar.
In response to a question in Parliament in December 2023, then-Minister of State for MEA V. Muraleedharan had specifically referred to the “the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in New Delhi and the Consulates of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in Mumbai and Hyderabad [that] continue to function in India”.
“Some Afghan diplomats have left India since they obtained residency in third countries. However, the remaining Afghan diplomats based in India have taken over the responsibility for the continued diplomatic functioning of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan,” he added, responding to a statement issued by the last serving Ambassador Farid Mamundzay, who had resigned the position, and declared the Embassy had been shut down “due to the lack of support” from the MEA, and accused New Delhi of softening its position towards the Taliban.
However, after meetings with MEA officials, the Embassy was kept open for consular services for approximately 15,000 Afghans living in India, with a skeletal staff run jointly by Consul-Generals in Mumbai and Hyderabad, who are “aligned” with the Emirate Government. The Embassy in Delhi is the last bastion for those still pledging allegiance to the Afghan Republic, and the staffers said they fear that the MEA’s latest decisions to strengthen cooperation with the regime in Kabul, which has only been recognised by Russia so far, will cast a dark cloud over their futures and that of their families living in India and in Afghanistan.
Published – October 13, 2025 03:42 pm IST
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Analysis: As India plans embassy in Kabul, staffers of former government in Delhi fear for future
