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The 4th India-Central Asia Dialogue concluded with a strong condemnation of terrorism and a commitment to enhance cooperation in the region in the backdrop of the April 22 Pahalgan terror attack, which claimed the lives of 26 tourists.
The Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to fighting terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, stressing that perpetrators, organizers, financiers, and sponsors of terrorist acts must be held accountable. "The Ministers unequivocally condemned the terrorist attack in Pahalgham. They reaffirmed their firm commitment to fight against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. They reiterated that providing safe haven, using terrorist proxies for cross-border terrorism, terror financing, arms and drugs trafficking, dissemination of a radical ideology and abuse of cyber space to spread disinformation and incite violence, goes against the basic principles of humanity and international relations," read the Joint Statement of 4th India-Central Asia Dialogue. India and the five Central Asian nations' foreign ministers--Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan--emphasised the need to strengthen UN-led global counterterrorism cooperation and fully implement relevant UNSC resolutions, the Global Counterterrorism Strategy, and FATF standards. "They stressed that perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of terrorist acts must be held accountable and brought to justice. In this context, they called for early adoption of the UN Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism. They stressed the need to strengthen UN-led global counter-terrorism cooperation and fully implement the relevant UNSC resolutions, Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and FATF standards," added the statement. The Ministers noted the importance of holding regular consultations among the National Security Councils of India and the Central Asian countries to strengthen efforts to counter terrorism and other emerging challenges in the region. They looked forward to the third edition of the Consultations to be held in the Kyrgyz Republic. The Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to deepening and expanding collaboration in capacity building. In this regard, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Central Asian countries appreciated the successful organisation of capacity building programmes by India for Drug Law Enforcement Officers from Central Asian countries in December 2024 and on Countering Financing of Terrorism in New Delhi in April 2025, added the statement. They expressed strong support for a peaceful and stable Afghanistan, free from terrorism, war, and drugs, and agreed to continue close coordination and consultations on matters related to Afghanistan. "The Ministers reiterated their strong support for a peaceful and stable Afghanistan which is free from terrorism, war and drugs. They stressed the need to stand by the people of Afghanistan. The Ministers agreed to continue close coordination and consultations on matters related to Afghanistan," added the statement. The Ministers appreciated the successful annual visits of youth delegations from Central Asian countries to India and emphasised the role of such visits in building strong people-to-people ties. Taking note of the large number of students from India and the Central Asian countries studying in each other's higher educational institutions, the Ministers stressed the importance of ensuring their welfare. The Ministers also reaffirmed their commitment to work towards advancing mutual objectives and deepening collaboration across shared priorities to prepare ground for holding the second India-Central Asia Summit at a mutually convenient date in 2025. The meeting, chaired by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, concluded with a shared commitment to bolster counter-terrorism cooperation through institutional dialogue, legal coordination, and capacity building. The Ministers of Central Asian countries thanked the External Affairs Minister of India for the warm hospitality accorded to their delegations for the 4th meeting of the India-Central Asia Dialogue in New Delhi. The Ministers agreed to hold the next meeting of the India-Central Asia Dialogue in 2026, read the bvstatement. (ANI)
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