Central Asian leaders to participate in India-Central Asia dialogue in Delhi with a focus on the Afghan issue

An active engagement between India and the five Central Asian countries are expected to discuss further strengthening of relations between India and Central Asian countries with a particular focus on trade, connectivity, and development cooperation.

New Delhi:Foreign Minister of Kyrgyz Republic Ruslan Kazakbaev arrived in Delhi on Friday for the 3rd India-Central Asia Dialogue to be held from December 18-20. Simultaneously, the Foreign Affairs Minister of Tajikistan is also said to arrive on Friday on an official visit to India.

During the visit, he will meet EAM S. Jaishankar on Saturday. The two ministers will discuss bilateral, regional, and international issues of mutual interest and undertake a comprehensive review of bilateral cooperation. Minister Sirojiddin is also expected to meet other dignitaries during his visit. There has been an active exchange of visits between both sides during the year.

Jaishankar has visited Tajikistan thrice this year- for a bilateral visit as well as for participating in the ‘Heart of Asia’ Conference in March, for the SCO Foreign Ministers’ meeting in June, and also for the SCO Council of Heads of State Summit in September. Defence Minister and National Security Advisor visited Tajikistan in June for SCO meetings. From the Tajik side, the Secretary of the Security Council visited India in February and again in November for the Regional Security Dialogue.

The visit of the Foreign Minister of Tajikistan will sustain the momentum of high-level exchanges and further strengthen the strategic partnership between the two countries. Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar will be hosting the third meeting of the India-Central Asia Dialogue in New Delhi from December 18-20.

The situation in Afghanistan and regional connectivity will be the prime focus when External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar meets his counterparts from five Central Asian states for the third India-Central Asia Dialogue in New Delhi on December 19. Also, the meetings come at a time New Delhi is working on plans to invite five Central Asian countries, three of which share a border with Afghanistan, as the chief guest of the Republic Day celebration.

An informal outreach has already been made through diplomatic channels. However, there is no official confirmation on the same. Foreign Ministers of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, apart from EAM will participate in the meeting. The second meeting was organized by India in October 2020 in digital video-conference format.

There has been an active engagement between India and the five Central Asian countries over the last few years. India considers Central Asia as part of its ‘extended neighbourhood’. EAM visited Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan this year and met with The foreign Minister of Turkmenistan in October 2021. As part of the third meeting of the India-Central Asia Dialogue on December 19, 2021, the Ministers are expected to discuss further strengthening of relations between India and Central Asian countries with a particular focus on trade, connectivity, and development cooperation.

They will also exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual interest. The Foreign Ministers of the Central Asian countries are expected to pay a joint courtesy call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The holding of annual meetings of the India-Central Asia Dialogue is symbolic of the interest on the part of all member countries for greater engagement between them in a spirit of friendship, trust, and mutual understanding.