AMN / WEB DESK
President of India Ram Nath Kovind has said that ensuring connectivity with the Central Asian countries remains a key priority for India. Mr Kovind was addressing the young diplomats of Turkmenistan at the Institute of International Relations in Ashgabat today on the third day of his visit to the Central Asian country.
President Kovind said India is a member of both the International North-South Transport Corridor and the Ashgabat agreement. He said, steps have been taken to operationalize the Chabahar port in Iran which can provide secure, viable and unhindered access to the sea for the Central Asian countries.
President Kovind stated that connectivity initiatives should be consultative, transparent and participatory, with respect to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries. He said, India stands ready to cooperate, invest and build connectivity in the region. The President said, India’s emergence as one of the major economies of the world and the relevance of India’s technological capabilities has shaped key global negotiations. India’s partnerships with countries of the Global South have grown substantially while its relations with major powers have deepened further.
President Kovind said, one of the key pillars of India’s foreign policy in recent years has been the ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy. He said, thus, the focus of India’s Neighbourhood First policy is to enhance connectivity, augment trade and investment, and build a secure and stable neighbourhood. He said the dynamism and vitality of Indo-Pacific region make it a global economic centre and India stands for an open, balanced, rules-based and stable international trade regime in the Indo-Pacific.
The President said that one of the focus areas of Indian foreign policy in the last few years has been the revitalization of its historical ties with the Central Asian countries, which are a part of its extended neighbourhood’. He said, as developing countries, India and Central Asian countries share common perspectives and similar approaches and face common challenges such as terrorism, extremism, radicalization and drug trafficking.
The President also inaugurated an ‘India Corner’ at the Institute of International Relations on the occasion. The ‘India Corner’ is envisioned to create interest in India amongst the students of the Institute in organizing India related activities. Earlier in the day, the President visited the People’s Memorial Complex in Ashgabat and laid a wreath at the Monument of Eternal Glory.
He also visited the Bagtyyarlyk Sports Complex to offer floral tributes in front of the bust of Mahatma Gandhi and witnessed the Yoga demonstration by people of the country under the supervision of an Indian instructor. Tomorrow morning, the President will leave for the Netherlands, after concluding his visit to Turkmenistan.