India hosted foreign ministers from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan in New Delhi during June 5 - 6, 2025. India - Central Asia Business Council was held at Hotel Taj Palace in New Delhi on June 5, 2025. Foreign Ministers from Central Asian countries attended the said Business Council where India was represented by Dr S Jaishankar, External Affairs Minister of India. The issues discussed included existing economic cooperation, digital economy & innovation, financial services, healthcare & pharma, connectivity and streamlined transit, trade & energy, diversification of trade basket and introduction of sustainability and predictability in New Delhi’s economic interactions with Central Asian countries.
Fourth India –Central Asia Dialogue was held at Hotel Taj Palace in New Delhi on June 6, 2025. Mr. Murat Nurtleu, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan, Mr Zheenbek Kulubaev, Foreign Minister of Kyrgyz Republic, Mr Rashid Meredov, Foreign Minister of Turkmenistan, Mr Sirojiddin Muhriddin, Foreign Minister of Tajikistan, Mr Bakhtiyor Saidov, Foreign Minister of Uzbekistan and Dr S Jaishankar, External Affairs Minister of India attended the said Dialogue.
India - Central Asia relations are millennia old and have commonalties in historical and civilisational arenas. India’s connection with Central Asia has deep roots in history. Trade between these two regions pre-dates the Silk Road by at least three thousand years. It is an area vital in strategic, economic and trade terms. Its historical and cultural linkages with India would, of course, continue to be of abiding interest. But awareness of and sensitivity to contemporary events in Central Asia are of higher importance in promoting common interests. Digital economy and innovation, financial services, healthcare and pharma, connectivity and streamlined transit are the focus areas in order to enhance economic cooperation between New Delhi and Central Asia. We need a road map for further deepening of India-central Asia ties in trade, economic and investment.
India and Kazakhstan have zero tolerance policy for terrorism. Both the countries have Strategic Partnership focusing on political, trade, investment and energy cooperation. India and Kyrgyz Republic signed a Program of Cooperation, a step forward in deepening bilateral ties in banking, education, energy, health, connectivity and capacity building. Both are opposed to terrorism. India and Tajikistan are committed to fight international terrorism and religious extremism. Both the countries shared views on furthering cooperation including deeper trade, investment and connectivity issue. India and Turkmenistan exchanged notes on deepening cooperation particularly in trade, investment, connectivity, health and energy sectors. Both the countries strongly condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. Uzbekistan uniformly displays unique warmth towards India and a desire for significant increase in bilateral interactions. In Uzbekistan perception, India is a welcome and benign neighbour. Tashkent also desire to learn from India’s developmental experience in market economics. India has been working together with Uzbekistan to address the issues of political disorder and instability in Afghanistan, international terrorism and religious extremism. India has consistently endorsed and continues to support the initiatives taken by President of Uzbekistan Excellency Shavkat Miromonovich Mirziyoyev for regional peace and security and enhancing regional economic cooperation and integration. Relations with Central Asian countries deserve to be effectively advanced by diversifying from cooperation in education and culture to high technology interactions and enhanced business transactions. There is a firm need to provide professional and timely research advisories for Indian and Central Asian entrepreneurs on the new pathways and markets in South and Central Asia. India, through its "Connect Central Asia" policy , has emphasised its desire to strengthen relations with Central Asian countries. From an economic perspective, the India-Central Asia dialogue offers many opportunities for multilateral cooperation. Trade linkages, infrastructure development and energy cooperation are key areas where New Delhi and Central Asian countries can benefit from deeper engagement.
India has been working together with Central Asian countries to address the issues of political disorder and instability in Afghanistan, terrorism and extremism. India has consistently endorsed and continues to support the initiatives taken by President of Uzbekistan Excellency Shavkat Miromonovich Mirziyoyev for regional peace and security and enhancing regional economic cooperation and integration. A coordinated approach is desirable and inevitable to enhance the economic ties between India and Uzbekistan. We have to jointly work for imaginative and farsighted solutions to the “transportation access” issue. The initiatives to link India through Iran and Afghanistan to Uzbekistan are important and useful steps. The sea and road route through the port of Chahbahar will reduce the distance from India to Central Asia by 1500 kms. Also, digital highway is a better option to overcome the issue of geographical inaccessibility. We are grateful to Uzbekistan and His Excellency Mr Shavkat M Mirziyoyev, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan for his condemnation of terrorists' attack in Pahalgam, Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir on April 22, 2025. Excellency Mirziyoyev in a letter to Indian Government has condemned the attacked. Indians and Uzbeks work together for peace, prosperity and development. We are against any form of terrorism. India and Uzbekistan have been fighting together against the menace of transnational terrorism. There is no space for any State to use terrorism as an instrument of foreign policy. Recent barbaric attacks in Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir are condemnable. Central Asian scholars expressed their solidarity on this issue with India. we reaffirm our shared commitment to strengthening the bonds between India and Central Asia - a partnership rooted in history, culture, and mutual progress.
The India-Central Asia Foreign Ministries’ Summit underscores our collective vision for a collaborative and safe future. In an era defined by digital transformation, leadership both in India and Central Asian countries in technological innovation offers immense potential for synergy. India, with its thriving IT ecosystem and digital governance models, is eager to explore partnerships in e-governance, cyber security, artificial intelligence, machine learning and digital infrastructure, software engineering, data science & analytics, cloud computing, DevOps, Internet of Things (IoT), block chain, distributed systems, web and mobile development with Central Asia. Foreign Minister from Central Asian countries called on Indian Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi at the end of India Central Asia Dialogue in the evening on June 6, 2025.
Prof (Dr) Ramakant Dwivedi
(Author is Head, MERI Centre for International Studies & Director, India Central Asia Foundation, New Delhi, India)
