India has pulled out around 50 diplomats and security personnel from its consulate in Kandahar in Afghanistan in view of the deteriorating security situation and the Taliban gaining control of new areas around the southern Afghan city, people familiar with the development said.

A special aircraft of the Indian Air Force was sent on July 10 to bring back the Indian diplomats, officials and other staff members including a group of Indo-Tibetan Border Police personnel, they said. India's move to temporarily shut the consulate in Kandahar came in view of Taliban fighters rapidly seizing control of a number of key areas in the region as well as in western Afghanistan triggering huge security concerns.