Ashgabat [Turkmenistan], January 22 (ANI): India and Turkmenistan reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral relations, covering areas such as defence, security, trade and economic cooperation, culture, and consular matters, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday.
The discussions followed the visit of MEA Secretary (West) Sibi George, who led an official delegation to Ashgabat for the fifth round of India–Turkmenistan Foreign Office Consultations and the SPECA (United Nations Special Programme for the Economies of Central Asia) Economic Forum, the ministry said.
During his visit, George on Wednesday called on Turkmenistan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers, Rashid Meredov, and conveyed warm greetings from External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar. The two sides discussed ways to further strengthen the mutually beneficial partnership between India and Turkmenistan.
According to an MEA statement, the Foreign Office Consultations were co-chaired by Secretary (West) Sibi George and Turkmenistan’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Myahri Byashimova, in Ashgabat on the same day. Both sides reviewed the full spectrum of bilateral relations, including political, defence, security, trade and economic cooperation, cultural exchanges, education, and consular matters.
The two sides also discussed cooperation under the framework of the United Nations and other multilateral fora and exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest, the statement said.
Representing India as a guest country at the SPECA Economic Forum, chaired by Turkmenistan’s Minister of Finance and Economy, Mammetguly Astanagulov, Secretary (West) presented India’s vision for enhancing trade, economic engagement, investment, and connectivity linkages between India and Central Asian countries.
The statement noted that the visit of Secretary (West) aligns with India’s “Extended Neighbourhood” policy, aimed at strengthening ties with Turkmenistan and other Central Asian nations with which India shares long-standing bonds of friendship and cooperation. (ANI)
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