New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday held talks with visiting Tajikistan Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin here, with the discussions focusing on bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual interest, including Afghanistan.
“Glad to welcome FM Sirojiddin Muhriddin of Tajikistan in India. “Look forward to our talks,” the EAM said in a tweet.
The two sides are to also undertake a comprehensive review of the bilateral cooperation. The Foreign Minister of Tajikistan is visiting India from December 18-20 at the invite of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.
The Tajik FM is also to meet other dignitaries during the visit. Afghanistan is expected to figure in the talks as Tajikistan shares an over 1,300 km border with that country, and the Tajik leadership has been vocal in its disapproval of the Taliban takeover and demanded a more inclusive government, with representatives from the country’s large Tajik population.
India and Tajikistan have seen an active exchange of visits this year. EAM Jaishankar was there for a bilateral visit and for the Heart of Asia conference in March, the SCO FM’s meeting in June and the SCO heads of Council meeting in September
NSA Doval and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh visited Tajikistan in June for SCO meetings, while the Tajik security chief was in India in February and again in November for the NSA level meeting on Afghanistan.
“The visit of the Tajikistan Foreign Minister will sustain the high level of dialogue between the two sides and the strategic partnership between the two countries,” the MEA said.
