Customised course for diplomats from Central Asian countries commences at SSIFS

The training programme includes modules on India's foreign policy, India's relations with Central Asia, multilateral diplomacy and WTO, UN reforms, space diplomacy, India's perspectives on nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament and negotiation skills.

New Delhi: A customised course for 29 young diplomats from Central Asia commenced at the Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service (SSIFS), Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi on December 5 and it will continue till December 16. This course was offered by India at the first India-Central Asia Summit held virtually in January this year. The special course was inaugurated on Monday by Dean (SSIFS) Sanjiv Ranjan.

The training programme includes modules on India's foreign policy, India's relations with Central Asia, multilateral diplomacy and WTO, UN reforms, space diplomacy, India's perspectives on nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament, negotiation skills, water security, GoI's economic initiatives and economic reforms, digital empowerment, India's pandemic response and women in diplomacy.

There will also be sessions on Ayurveda and Yoga. As a part of their study tours in New Delhi, the diplomats would be undertaking visits to Rashtrapati Bhavan, the Election Commission of India, the National Museum and the Gurgaon automobile plant of Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. They will undertake a day-long visit to Agra to see the Taj Mahal.

Recently, in November, India also hosted an 80-member youth delegation from the Central Asian countries as part of its commitment at the first India-Central Asia Summit. India and Central Asian countries enjoy age-old civilizational, cultural and trade ties. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and the Central Asian countries.