The Founder of Peace and National Unity, Leader of the Nation, President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon received Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, who is in Dushanbe to participate in the 9th Ministerial Meeting of the Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process.

The current state and prospects of cooperation between Tajikistan and India were discussed with an emphasis on political, economic, trade, cultural, humanitarian and other areas of benefit for both nations.

At the outset of the meeting, President Rahmon noted that India is one of key countries in the Asian region and we attach great importance to further strengthening the multifaceted relations between Tajikistan and India.

In this context, the two sides noted the need to intensify activities of the Joint Intergovernmental Commission for Trade and Economic Cooperation, improve investment climate and attract direct investment to ensure sustainable economic development, implement infrastructure, industry and commerce development projects.

They also outlined sectors like energy, agriculture, transportation and medicine as areas, which could drive the bilateral trade between the two nations.

The officials also expressed satisfaction with cooperation between Tajikistan and India within the framework of the Indian technical and Economic Program (ITEC), the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), and in the field of medicine, including the process of the delivery of 192,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine to Tajikistan through COVAX mechanism.

Further strengthening of collaboration of the Joint Working Group on security issues and issues related to the fight against terrorism and extremism, drug trafficking, transnational organized crime and other global threats, as well as the situation in Afghanistan were another item of the agenda.