Central Asian Countries welcome Indian assistance for development

New Delhi, Oct 29: Foreign Ministers of Central Asian Countries have welcomed the provision by India of One Billion US dollars Line of Credit for priority developmental projects. The second meeting of the India-Central Asia Dialogue was held through digital video-conference on Oct 28, under the chairmanship of the External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar.

 

The priority developmental projects include the fields of energy, IT, healthcare, education and agriculture in the Central Asian region. According to the Joint Statement of the meeting, the need to continue close cooperation between the Sanitary and Epidemiological Services of India and the Central Asian countries in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic was emphasized.

 

The meeting emphasized the importance of concerte efforts to further expand trade and economic cooperation including the promotion of direct ties between the businesses of India and the Central Asian countries. Foreign Ministers of Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan as well as First Deputy Foreign Minister of the Kyrgyz Republic participated in the meeting.

 

India’s efforts to modernize the infrastructure of the Chabahar port in Iran, which could become an important link in trade and transport communications between the markets of Central and South Asia, were also acknowledged and appreciated by the Ministers, during the virtual meet.