President Ram Nath Kovind arrives in Turkmenistan on 3-day official visit
India Today
President Ram Nath Kovind met his Turkmen counterpart Serdar Berdimuhamedov on Friday to discuss ways to boost bilateral ties with the resource-rich Central Asian country. This will be the first-ever visit of the President of India to Turkmenistan.
President Ram Nath Kovind was accorded a ceremonial guard of honour here on Friday as he began his three-day state visit to Turkmenistan during which he will meet his Turkmen counterpart Serdar Berdimuhamedov and discuss ways to boost bilateral ties with the resource-rich Central Asian country.
This is the first-ever visit of the President of India to independent Turkmenistan and comes just after the inauguration of new Turkmen President Berdimuhamedov.
"President Kovind arrived in Ashgabat on the first part of his two-nation visit. As per the Turkmen tradition, the President was offered bread and salt by children at the airport," the official Twitter account of the Rashtrapati Bhavan said.
President Kovind was received by Turkmenistan's President Berdimuhamedov and accorded a ceremonial guard of honour on his arrival at Ashgabat airport, it said in another tweet.
"Hosh Geldiniz!! Rashtrapatiji arrives in Ashgabat for State visit. 1st visit by an Indian President to Turkmenistan & the 1st by any Head of State to the country after March 12 elections. Received by FM Meredov & Edn Min Atayeva. Packed schedule of pgms awaits him," Indian Embassy in Turkmenistan tweeted.
Earlier, the Ministry of External Affairs said India attached importance to its relations with Turkmenistan.
"The state visit of the president will reaffirm the importance we attach to Turkmenistan, not only bilaterally but also in terms of our extended neighbourhood concept and role in India-Central Asia partnership," Sanjay Verma, Secretary West in the MEA, told reporters in New Delhi on Wednesday.
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