first India-Central Asia Summit

PM Modi hosts first India-Central Asia Summit

Central asia virtual summit 2022

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi hosted the first India-Central Asia Summit in virtual format on 27 January 2022,  which was attended by Presidents of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Republic of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Republic of Uzbekistan. 

30^th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations

This first India-Central Asia coincided एक ही समय घटित होना with the 30^th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Central Asian countries.

During the Summit, Prime Minister Modi and the Central Asian Leaders discussed the next steps in taking India-Central Asia relations to new heights. 

deciding to hold it every 2 years.

In a historic decision, the Leaders agreed to institutionalize the Summit mechanism by deciding to hold it every 2 years.

 They also agreed on regular meetings

of Foreign Ministers, Trade Ministers, Culture Ministers and Secretaries of the Security Council to prepare the groundwork for the Summit meetings.

 An India-Central Asia Secretariat 

in New Delhi would be set up to support the new mechanism.

  The Leaders discussed far-reaching proposals to further cooperation in areas of 

🌀trade and connectivity,

🌀 development cooperation, 

🌀defence and security and,

 🌀in particular, 

🌀on cultural and

🌀 people to people contacts.

 These included a Round-Table on 

🛑Energy and Connectivity;

 🛑Joint Working Groups at senior official level on Afghanistan and 

🛑use of Chabahar Port;

 🛑showcasing of Buddhist exhibitions in Central Asian countries and 

🛑commissioning of an India-Central Asia dictionary of common words, 🛑joint counter-terrorism exercises, 🛑visit of 100 member youth delegation annually from Central Asian countries to India and 

🛑special courses for Central Asian diplomats.

truly representative and inclusive government

Prime Minister Modi also discussed the evolving situation in Afghanistan with the Central Asian leaders. The leaders reiterated their strong support for a peaceful, secure and stable Afghanistan with a truly representative and inclusive government.

humanitarian assistance to the Afghan

 Prime Minister conveyed India’s continued commitment to provide humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people.

 A comprehensive Joint Declaration was adopted by the leaders that enumerates their common vision for an enduring and comprehensive India-Central Asia partnership.       

Trade relationship

 India also has strong bilateral ties with all the five Central Asian states. Kazakhstan 

is a key supplier of uranium to India and also the country’s largest trade partner in the region. Two-way trade, mostly comprising oil, was worth $1.9 billion during 2020-21

Kazakh

As part of a unique experiment in UN peacekeeping, Kazakh troops are part of an Indian battalion in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon and the sixth rotation is currently underway.

 The two sides also have a regular joint military exercise called Kazind, and Kazakhstan is home to around 8,000 Indians, including 5,000 medical students.

India has a strategic partnership with Kyrgyzstan,

 where it has established five telemedicine centres. India provided the country a line of credit of $200 million in 2019 and

 the two countries have an annual joint military exercise called Khanjar. Kyrgyzstan also is home to more than 15,000 Indian students.

The India-Tajik Friendship Hospital is a symbol of India’s strong cooperation in defence with its strategic partner Tajikistan, and the two countries have a very similar position on Afghanistan.

Uzbekistan, also a strategic partner of India, is part of a trilateral working group for the development of Chabahar port. 

It has been provided a line of credit of $1 billion in 2018, and four projects worth $450 million have already been approved

. Several Indian universities and pharmaceutical companies have established a presence in Uzbekistan.

 Source pib