India, Central Asia set up template for closer ties; summit to be held every two years

New Delhi, January 27

India and Central Asia identified connectivity, energy and security as focus areas at their first-ever summit held virtually on Thursday. This was to be an in-person interaction unlike their virtual summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping two days back. But rising Omicron cases led to the cancellation of their Delhi visit during which they would have been Chief Guests on Republic Day.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as the host, sought to set an ambitious agenda by suggesting a road map for the next 30 years on connectivity and cooperation in an integrated manner, said MEA’s Secretary (West) Reenat Sandhu while briefing the media at the end of the one and a half hour meeting that figured all the five Central Asian Presidents and PM Modi. The Joint Declaration issued after the summit also identified health as another area of cooperation with the Presidents keen on leading Indian hospital chains expanding their footprint.

An important outcome of the meeting was the agreement to hold the summit once every two years. One of the key proposals by the Prime Minister was to institutionalise the framework for India-Central Asia cooperation at the regional level through line-level Ministerial meetings to strengthen cooperation in political and developmental partnership, trade and connectivity, culture and tourism, and security, said Sandhu.

PM Modi suggested that an India Central Asia centre to serve as a secretariat could be set up here.

Speaking at the summit, PM Modi said the interaction had three main objectives. First, to make it clear that cooperation between India and Central Asia was essential for regional security. The second was to establish a framework of regular interactions. The final objective was to create a roadmap for cooperation through an integrated approach.

In the Joint Declaration, the two sides decided to set up joint working groups (JWG) in several areas to push forward cooperation. The MEA Secretary singled out the JWG to promote connectivity between South Asia and Central Asia via Iran’s Chabahar port.

Sandhu said the Summit was the culmination of sustained diplomatic engagement with Central Asian countries in recent years. There was a candid exchange of views on regional and international issues, especially the current regional security situation, she added.