India, Oct. 11 -- India on Friday announced the upgrade of its technical mission in Kabul to the status of a full-fledged embassy.

The announcement was made by External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar during high-level talks with Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.

This marks a key shift in India's diplomatic engagement with Afghanistan, more than four years after New Delhi withdrew its officials from Kabul following the Taliban's return to power in August 2021. India had cautiously re-established a presence in June 2022 by deploying a "technical team" in the Afghan Capital.

"Closer cooperation between us contributes to your national development, as well as regional stability and resilience," said the EAM.

"To enhance that,...