Turkmen FM Meredov joins India-Central Asia Dialogue

New Delhi

Rashid Meredov, Turkmenistan’s Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Foreign Minister, arrived in New Delhi on Thursday to attend the 4th India-Central Asia Dialogue and the India-Central Asia Business Council meeting. His arrival was confirmed by Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal in a post on X.

Earlier in the day, Tajikistan’s Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin and Kyrgyz Republic’s Foreign Minister Zheenbek Kulubaev also reached Delhi for the high-level meeting. The India-Central Asia Dialogue, launched in 2019 in Samarkand, serves as an important ministerial platform to enhance India’s ties with Central Asian countries—Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

The Dialogue has previously focused on regional security, counter-terrorism, connectivity, and economic cooperation. This year, discussions are expected to expand to trade, infrastructure, technology, and joint development.

India and Central Asia share deep cultural and historical bonds. Buddhism’s spread from India left a spiritual imprint on the region, with historic sites like Kara Tepe and Fayaz Tepe reflecting this shared heritage.

India’s engagement with Central Asia has grown significantly, especially after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 2015 visits to all five nations. His active participation in multiple Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summits has strengthened ties. The first India-Central Asia Summit in 2022, held virtually, resulted in the Delhi Declaration, establishing regular summits and ongoing ministerial dialogue to further institutionalise cooperation.