A message for Pakistan? Jaishankar opens 4th India-Central Asia Dialogue, cites Pahalgam attack

Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar on Friday (June 6) appreciated Central Asian nations for condemning the Pahalgam terror attack while delivering opening remarks at the 4th India-Central Asia Dialogue in New Delhi. Earlier, Jaishankar held bilateral meetings with the foreign ministers of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan and urged them to unite in the fight against terrorism in the region.

“I appreciate that your countries stood by India and condemned the heinous terrorist attack that took place in April in Pahalgam,” Jaishankar said in his address. He acknowledged that the ties between India and Central Asian nations have evolved over the past decades.

“We have marked three decades of our contemporary diplomatic ties with our Central Asian partners in 2022. We have worked together and laid down the legal and institutional framework, which has provided the foundation to further our mutually beneficial cooperation with each other individually, as well as collectively. Our cooperation with Central Asian countries received a quantum boost with Prime Minister Modi’s back-to-back visits to all five Central Asian capitals in July 2015,” Jaishankar recounted.

“India deeply cherishes its millennia-old civilizational and cultural ties with Central Asia. These age-old bonds forged through trade, exchange of ideas, and people-to-people contacts have strengthened over time, evolving into a partnership which is defined by shared aspirations, shared opportunities and common challenges,” the foreign minister added.

Jaishankar also pitched India as a reliable trade partner for the Central Asian nations. India is also believed to have discussed digital technology and fintech co-operation with the Central Asian nations in order boost existing ties. He highlighted how better air connectivity between Central Asia and India helps flow of tourists and businesses. He also shed light on the fact that a large number of Indian students pursue higher education in Central Asian countries, further strengthening the economic and people-to-people ties.

Message to Pakistan and Azerbaijan

By rallying Central Asian nations against terrorism, New Delhi aims to send a stern message to Pakistan as well as its ally Azerbaijan, which has long benefited from its reliance on the Central Asian nations.

Azerbaijan often touts itself as a bridge to the Central Asian region.

However, ties between New Delhi and Baku have deteriorated following Azerbaijan’s open support to Pakistan during its recent standoff with India.

Now, with increased engagements with Central Asia and by fostering a unified stance, New Delhi aims to highlight wider acknowledgement of its war on terrorism, with nations even from Azerbaijan’s neighbourhood on board.