MoS Kirti Vardhan Singh to visit Tajikistan on June 12-13
New Delhi, June 11
Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh will undertake a two-day official visit to Tajikistan on 12-13 June, 2026, to participate in the SCO Conference on "Central Asia - The Core of SCO: A Space of Peace and Joint Development," hosted by the Republic of Tajikistan, the current Chair of the SCO Heads of Government Council, a statement by the Ministry of External Affairs said.
The Conference theme aligns well with India's SCO priorities on youth, culture and civilisation. India recognises Central Asia as India's extended neighbourhood and a key partner in promoting regional connectivity, security, and prosperity.
The MoS is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with counterparts from member states during the Conference, as per MEA.
Earlier on April 2, India and Tajikistan held the 5th Round of Foreign Office Consultations in Tajikistan's Dushanbe.
The consultations were co-chaired by Ambassador Sibi George, Secretary (West), from the Indian side and Idibek Kalandar, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, from the Tajik side, the Ministry of External Affairs said in an official statement.
According to a press release, during the consultations, both sides comprehensively reviewed the status of bilateral cooperation in the areas of Political, Defence, Security, Trade & Economy, Culture, Education and Consular matters. The two sides also discussed cooperation within multilateral frameworks and exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest.
During the visit, Secretary (West) called on Sirojiddin Muhriddin, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan. In the meeting, the two sides discussed ways to further strengthen the mutually beneficial partnership and to broaden the scope of bilateral engagement.
The statement also highlighted that Secretary (West) also interacted with the Indian community and Friends of India in Dushanbe and appreciated their contributions to strengthening India-Tajikistan relations.
On the occasion, he inaugurated three India Corners at the Tajik State Pedagogical University named after Sadriddin Ayni in Dushanbe, the Institute of Economy and Trade of the Tajik State University of Commerce in Khujand, and the Professional Technical Innovation Lyceum in Kulob.
— ANI
Reader Comments
It's good to see India taking a proactive role in SCO, especially with Central Asia being our extended neighbourhood. The focus on youth and culture is smart soft power strategy. Hope these dialogues lead to concrete trade and economic outcomes too.
While diplomatic engagements are important, I hope the government also focuses on tangible benefits for ordinary Indians—like better access to Central Asian markets for our textiles and spices. Also, why is there always less emphasis on trade when we talk about SCO? Just asking! 🤔
India-Tajikistan relations have deep historical roots—from the Silk Road to shared cultural ties. The inauguration of India Corners at three universities shows our commitment to education and people-to-people connect. This is how we build lasting partnerships, not just government-to-government. Excellent initiative! 🇮🇳🇹🇯
Interesting to see India's continued focus on Central Asia. The SCO conference theme about "space of peace and joint development" sounds promising but we've heard similar rhetoric before. The real test will be whether these meetings translate into action on counter-terrorism and trade facilitation.
Great to see India asserting its presence in SCO! Central Asia is crucial for our energy security and connectivity—think International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC). Hope the MoS also pushes for faster progress on Chabahar port and connectivity with Afghanistan through Tajikistan. There's huge potential! 🚀
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