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India Pledges Stronger Trade & Transport Ties with Central Asia at SPECA Forum

India's Secretary (West) Sibi George reaffirmed the nation's commitment to enhancing trade, economic, and transport linkages with Central Asia at the SPECA Economic Forum in Ashgabat. He held sideline meetings with finance ministers and deputy ministers from Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan to bolster bilateral and multilateral engagement. The SPECA program, supported by UN bodies, aims to strengthen Central Asian subregional cooperation and global integration. This follows last year's India-Central Asia Dialogue chaired by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in New Delhi.

Key Points: India Commits to Boost Trade, Investment with Central Asia

  • India reaffirms trade commitment
  • Focus on transport & investment links
  • Bilateral talks with Central Asian officials
  • Strengthening regional cooperation
2 min read

India vows to strengthen trade, investment ties with Central Asia at SPECA Economic Forum

India reaffirms commitment to enhance trade, economic, and transport linkages with Turkmenistan and Central Asian nations at the SPECA Economic Forum.

"reiterated India's commitment to further enhance trade, economic, investment & transport linkages - Ministry of External Affairs"

Ashgabat, January 22

Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs, Sibi George, on Wednesday reaffirmed India's commitment to enhancing trade, economic, investment, and transport linkages with Turkmenistan and other Central Asian countries during the United Nations Special Program for the Economies of Central Asia Economic Forum.

According to a post by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on X, the Secretary (West), who represented India at the forum, highlighted India's focus on expanding economic cooperation with the region, underlining the importance of stronger connectivity and collaborative initiatives to boost mutual growth.

On the sidelines of the SPECA Economic Forum, Secretary George also held interactions with key regional officials, including the Minister of Finance and Economy of Turkmenistan, as well as Deputy Ministers from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan, to discuss ways to further bilateral and multilateral engagements.

"Secretary (West) Sibi George represented India at the SPECA (UN Special Program for the Economies of Central Asia) Economic Forum. In his speech, Secretary (West) reiterated India's commitment to further enhance trade, economic, investment & transport linkages with Turkmenistan & other Central Asian countries. On the sidelines of SPECA Forum, Secretary (West) interacted with Minister of Finance and Economy of Turkmenistan and Deputy Ministers of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan," the MEA post read.

The United Nations Special Programme for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA) was launched in 1998 to strengthen subregional cooperation in Central Asia and facilitate its integration into the global economy.

The SPECA member countries are Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) jointly provide overall support to the programme.

Last year, the 4th meeting of the India-Central Asia Dialogue was held in New Delhi under the chairship of the External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.

Ministers of Foreign Affairs from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan participated in the meeting.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Excellent initiative! Stronger ties with Central Asia can open new markets for our IT, pharmaceuticals, and agricultural products. Hope this translates into more job opportunities and economic growth back home. The focus on transport linkages is crucial.
R
Rohit P
While the intent is good, I hope our government ensures these partnerships benefit the common man and small businesses, not just big corporations. We need to see tangible results on the ground, not just forum speeches.
S
Sarah B
As someone working in export logistics, improving transport linkages is the biggest hurdle. If India can streamline trade routes through Iran and the Caucasus to Central Asia, it will be a game-changer for regional trade. Fingers crossed!
V
Vikram M
Our historical and cultural connections with this region go back centuries. It's good to see modern economic diplomacy building on that ancient foundation. This also helps counterbalance other influences in the region. Jai Hind!
K
Karthik V
Hope Afghanistan's inclusion in SPECA is noted. Stability and development there are essential for any lasting connectivity with Central Asia. India has a role to play through humanitarian and development work.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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