Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met in New Delhi on Monday (December 20) with the foreign ministers of five Central Asian countries, apparently to compete with the influence of other geopolitical players in the region (Russia, China and Pakistan) .
The foreign ministers of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan met with Modi at the India-Central Asia Dialogue from December 18 to 19.
According to reports, the meeting focused on trade and connectivity, developing partnerships and regional development, including the situation in Afghanistan.
Met with the foreign ministers of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. We discussed ways to further strengthen the close partnership between India and Central Asia and exchanged views on the development of the region. pic.twitter.com/C1Y3THdumt
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 20, 2021
According to the website of the Prime Minister of IndiaThe Minister of Foreign Affairs of Central Asia emphasized that the leaders of the two countries are willing to further strengthen relations with India.
In return, Modi emphasized that India attaches great importance to long-term relations with Central Asian countries, which is part of India’s so-called “extended neighborhood”.
He also congratulated the ministers on the 30th anniversary of their independence. Central Asian countries are all Soviet republics that gained independence after the disintegration of the Soviet Union in December 1991 and engaged in state building.
Modi recalled that he visited all Central Asian countries in 2015, followed by Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan.
Given the popularity of Indian movies, music and yoga in the region, he also emphasized the importance of maintaining cultural and interpersonal contact between India and Central Asia.
The Prime Minister of India also mentioned the possible enhanced economic cooperation between India and Central Asia and the role of connectivity in this regard.
According to the Indian media portal The IndiaThe choice of the foreign ministers of Central Asian countries to come to New Delhi is of “significant significance.” This was interpreted as showing that India’s outreach to the region was rewarded.
The Hindu also pointed out that the land connection between India and Central Asia is hindered by Pakistan, which is establishing strong ties and transit trade agreements with every Central Asian country.
Pakistan and India are mortal enemies and both possess nuclear weapons. Pakistan seeks to use its influence in Central Asia as a country with the same Muslim religion as the five former Soviet republics. It has also established ties with China and has benefited from substantial investments in infrastructure.
“Although India has strengthened its ties with the rest of Asia, if it is to fight against the’big game’ played in the region and restore its common history with important market countries, it must now redouble its efforts to develop into Central Asia, the Hindus wrote This is a source of energy and a bastion against the threat of extremism and radicalization.
[Edited by Alice Taylor]
