Coordination must for regional stability: PM Modi at first India-Central Asia Summit
India Today
PM Narendra Modi on Thursday hosted the first meeting of the India-Central Asia Summit. The meeting was attended by the presidents of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan.
Central Asia is central to India's vision of an integrated and stable extended neighbourhood, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in his opening remarks at the first India-Central Asia Summit on Thursday. India was chosen to host the first meeting.
The summit saw the participation of five heads of state - Kazakhstan's Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Uzbekistan's Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Sadyr Japarov of Kyrgyz Republic, Emomali Rahmon of Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan's Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow.
Addressing his counterparts virtually, PM Modi said India's diplomatic ties with Central Asian countries have completed 30 years.
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"Over the past three decades, our cooperation has achieved many successes and now, at this crucial juncture, we need an aspirational vision for the years to come, a vision that can fulfill the aspirations of our young people," he said.
Prime Minister Modi also said that India and the five Central Asian countries share the same concerns and objectives in terms of regional security.
Referring to the Taliban takeover, he added, "The series of events in Afghanistan has left us worried. In that context, our cooperation is now even more important for regional security and stability."
