Bishkek/New Delhi: Kyrgyzstan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jeenbek Kulubaev on Friday emphasised the importance of further deepening the interconnectedness of the states of the region, including through the opening of direct flights and the development of transport infrastructure, as he addressed the 4th meeting of the India-Central Asia Dialogue hosted by India in New Delhi.
In his speech, Kulubaev outlined the key areas of cooperation between the countries participating in the Dialogue, in particular, issues of interconnectedness, regional security, as well as cooperation in the field of technology and development.
“The importance of encouraging financial inclusion, intensifying cooperation within the framework of the ‘green’ agenda and the use of new technologies and digitalization in promising and mutually beneficial areas was noted. The readiness to continue working on regional security issues in bilateral and multilateral formats was also confirmed,” read a statement issued by Kyrgyzstan’s Foreign Ministry after the meeting.
In order to practically implement the discussed initiatives, the Kyrgyz side proposed the creation of mechanisms for dialogue between relevant ministries and departments of the countries participating in the Dialogue.
“The meeting participants put forward specific proposals to intensify cooperation, including the development of transport and logistics interconnectivity, including projects for international transport corridors, the launch of joint and infrastructure projects, and the creation of relevant working groups. Interest was also expressed in expanding academic and cultural exchanges in order to strengthen public diplomacy,” the statement mentioned.
“Special attention during the event was paid to the situation in Afghanistan, which the participants noted as one of the key factors of regional stability. The importance of providing humanitarian and advisory support, as well as facilitating the integration of Afghanistan into regional and international processes was emphasised,” it added.
In addition, the issue of holding the Second Summit of the India-Central Asia Dialogue was discussed during the meeting. The parties agreed to coordinate its date through diplomatic channels.
All parties, the Kyrgyz Foreign Ministry said, noted the practical focus of the discussed initiatives and confirmed their readiness to further strengthen cooperation within this format.
Following the results, a Joint Statement of the 4th Ministerial Meeting of the Central Asia-India Dialogue was adopted.
Earlier in the day, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar hosted the Foreign Ministers of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan for the 4th meeting of the India-Central Asia Dialogue.
On Thursday, Kulubaev held a bilateral meeting with EAM Jaishankar as both sides noted the successful development of India-Kyrgyzstan relations within the framework of strategic partnership.
During the talks, a detailed analysis of the current state of bilateral cooperation was conducted, with an emphasis on strengthening political dialogue, developing inter-parliamentary cooperation and continuing the exchange of visits at the highest and high levels.
“Key areas of cooperation in security, healthcare and trade were discussed, and their long-term importance for both countries was emphasised. The parties also noted the positive dynamics in trade turnover and agreed to continue working to expand ties in sectors such as pharmaceuticals, mining, information and communication technologies and banking services.
“The ministers particularly noted the significant contribution of the Indian ITEC and PRIDE programmes to the development of human potential in Kyrgyzstan and the strengthening of cultural and humanitarian ties. As part of public diplomacy, the intention to continue work on creating favourable conditions for the residence and education of Indian students in Kyrgyzstan was confirmed,” the country’s Foreign Ministry highlighted.
Following the meeting, a Cooperation Programme was signed between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Kyrgyzstan and India for 2025–2027, which defines the main areas and priorities for further joint work.
(IANS)
