India’s government is expected to accept a top Islamic Emirate representative to the country soon, the latest step from New Delhi to improve ties with Kabul and counter China’s growing influence in Afghanistan, Bloomberg reported.The IEA official won’t be recognized as a diplomat by India but will be the top representative for the government there.
The IEA won’t be able to fly its flag at the embassy, at events or on official vehicles, according to Bloomberg.Najib Shaheen, a diplomat in his early 30s at the Afghan embassy in Doha, is the main contender for the ambassador-level role in New Delhi.
He has worked with the IEA for almost a decade, and is the son of the IEA’s ambassador to Qatar.
Shawkat Ahmadzai, who works at the ministry of foreign affairs, is another candidate being considered for the role.Only a handful of countries, including China, Pakistan and Russia, have accepted diplomats from the IEA, which seized power in Afghanistan in 2021.India and Afghanistan agreed to resume bilateral trade after senior representatives from both sides met in Doha in January.
The IEA also recently sent an administrator to Mumbai to serve as acting consul-general.  The post India to allow ambassador-level IEA post first appeared on Ariana News.