Most of the casualties were civilian bystandersSuicide bombers have targeted the Indian consulate in the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad, killing at least eight civilians.
Three bombers drove up in a car before detonating their explosives, police said.
Gunfire was heard for an hour after the blast which took place at 10:00 local time (06:30 GMT).
Most of the victims were from a nearby mosque. Indian officials say none of their citizens were hurt.
At least 22 people were injured in the Jalalabad attack, according to the police, and many of the casualties were children.
Deputy police chief of Nangarhar province Masum Khan Hashimi said the blast, close to a mosque, had been a failed attempt to attack the Indian consulate.
He said two of the attackers wearing vests laden with explosives got out of the car and were immediately fired upon by police.
The remaining occupant of the car then blew it up, he told Reuters news agency.
The explosion also caused heavy damage to local shops.
It is not clear who was behind the attack. Jalalabad has frequently been the target of Taliban attacks, including a bomb blast at the airport last year.
However, a Taliban spokesman denied responsibility for Saturday's attack.
Indian buildings in Afghanistan have been targeted before.
In 2008 and 2009, the Indian embassy in Kabul was attacked twice with dozens of people killed.
The attack came after officials on Friday reported fierce fighting between security forces and militants in the Shirzad district of Nangarhar province.
They said 76 Taliban members and 22 police were killed in a series of clashes.
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