New Delhi: Noting that the situation in Afghanistan remains a cause of concern, National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval Tuesday stressed on the need to have formation of a truly inclusive and representative government, combating terrorism and drug trafficking and preserving the rights of women, children and minorities.
Doval, who participated in the Second Meeting of the India-Central Asia Secretaries/ National Security Advisers of the Security Councils in Kazakhstan, also emphasised on transparent connectivity in the region, remarks which comes in the backdrop of China’s push for the Belt Road Initiative (BRI).
Government sources said that Doval underlined that India’s relations, including political, trade, economy, security and defence, with Central Asian countries have transformed into multifaceted and mutually beneficial ties based on mutual trust, understanding and friendship.
Central Asia and India face common security challenges, threats and malign actors from interconnected networks, the NSA said.
“The situation in Afghanistan remains a cause of concern for all of us,” Doval said.
The common immediate priorities include providing humanitarian assistance, ensuring formation of a truly inclusive and representative government, combating terrorism and drug trafficking and preserving the rights of women, children and the minorities, he added.
“India is deeply involved in the humanitarian assistance being provided to the Afghan people. In line with India’s approach to encourage sports in Afghanistan, the Afghan cricket team is in India to play in the ICC World Cup matches. Amul, an Indian company, is the principal sponsor of the Afghanistan national cricket team for the ICC World Cup,” he said.
The NSA also spoke about how regional connectivity and economic integration with the Central Asian countries is a key priority for India.
“However, while promoting connectivity, it is important to ensure that connectivity initiatives are consultative, transparent and participatory. They should respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries. They should also adhere to environmental parameters, ensure financial viability and not become debt burdens,” Doval said.
He noted that the absence of direct land access between Central Asia and India is an anomaly.
“This absence of direct connectivity is the result of a conscious policy of denial by a particular country. This situation is not only self-defeating for this country, but it also reduces the collective well-being of the entire region,” he said in a veiled reference to Pakistan.
India is a member of both the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) and the Ashgabat Agreement, he said.
Doval invited Central Asian nations to utilise the Chabahar port as well as its Shaheed Bahesti terminal operated by an Indian company for maritime trade and solicited their support for including Chabahar port within the framework of INSTC.
Both Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan will be joining the INSTC soon. With this, all the five Central Asian countries will be a member of the INSTC, sources said.
Terrorism, he said, in all forms and manifestations remains one of the most serious threats to international peace and security.
“Any act of terrorism, regardless of its motivation or cause, is unjustifiable,” he said, while offering fully funded capacity building programmes in a wide range of areas.
The first India-Central Asia Meeting of National Security Advisers/Secretaries of Security Councils was held in December last year in New Delhi. The meetings flow from the agreement reached during the first India-Central Asia Summit (27 January, 2022) on holding regular meetings of Secretaries of the Security Council to discuss issues of regional security.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
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