|HT|
India will host the third edition of the India-Central Asia Dialogue in New Delhi from Saturday to discuss further strengthening of relations between member states with a focus on trade, connectivity and development cooperation. The three-day event will go on till Monday (December 20). External affairs minister (EAM) S Jaishankar will host the dialogue that will be attended by foreign ministers of five countries - Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan - according to the foreign ministry.
Jaishankar already visited Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan this year and met Turkmenistan's foreign minister in October.
"The holding of annual meetings of the India-Central Asia Dialogue is symbolic of the interest on the part of all member countries for greater engagement between them in a spirit of friendship, trust and mutual understanding," according to MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi.
"The foreign ministers of the Central Asian countries are expected to pay a joint courtesy call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi," he said, adding that they will exchange views on regional and international issues of global interest.
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