India Considers Accepting Taliban Representative at Afghan Consulate in Mumbai

The Sunday Guardian has reported that India is considering accepting Ikramuddin Kamil as a Taliban representative, with a potential appointment as Second Secretary at Afghanistan's consulate in Mumbai.

According to the report, Kamil recently entered India using a standard passport.

Published on Sunday, the report highlights that Delhi is taking a notable step towards expanding diplomatic relations with the Taliban by potentially accepting an official representative from the group.

The Sunday Guardian noted that the Taliban have proposed Ikramuddin Kamil for the role of Second Secretary at Afghanistan's Mumbai consulate. The report interprets India's possible acceptance of a Taliban diplomat as indicative of Delhi's "pragmatic approach" in engaging with the group, suggesting that formal recognition of the Taliban administration might be a future possibility.

The report states that Kamil earned his doctorate from South Asia University in Delhi. After the Taliban took power, Kamil reportedly returned to Afghanistan and began working with the group's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Sources informed Sunday Guardian that Kamil has re-entered India on a regular passport and is currently stationed at the Afghan consulate in Mumbai. According to the report, he may be issued a diplomatic passport and formally appointed as the Taliban's Second Secretary in Mumbai. Both Kamil and the Taliban’s Foreign Ministry have declined to comment on his proposed appointment.

A senior Taliban official in Kabul described Ikramuddin Kamil as an "intelligent" individual.

Since the Taliban assumed control in Afghanistan, Delhi has been seeking to expand its relations with the group, traditionally aligned with Pakistan. The recent visit of J.P. Singh, head of the Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iran division within India’s Ministry of External Affairs, to Kabul reflects growing developments in India’s relations with the Taliban. In recent days, J.P. Singh met separately with the Taliban's Ministers of Defence and Foreign Affairs in Kabul, underscoring both parties’ commitment to strengthening bilateral relations.

India has also handed over the Afghan embassy and consulates in Delhi and Mumbai to former Afghan government diplomats now cooperating with the Taliban. Additionally, India has maintained a “technical” team at its embassy in Kabul.

Last year, Sayed Mohammad Ibrahimkhil, the Afghan Consul General in Hyderabad, announced that, at India’s request, he had taken on consular responsibilities for Afghanistan's embassy in Delhi alongside Zakia Wardak, the former Consul General of Afghanistan in Mumbai. Wardak later resigned following reports of over 25 kilograms of gold, valued at more than two million dollars, being smuggled through Mumbai Airport.