India seeks to bolster Central Asia trade ties
New Delhi: External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar has urged the India-Central Asia Business Council to recommend a roadmap for further deepening of India-Central Asia ties in trade, economic and investment.
Addressing the Business Council meeting in the national capital, EAM Jaishankar highlighted three broad objectives for strengthening the economic partnership — deepen existing cooperation, diversify the trade basket and introduce sustainability and predictability in economic interactions.
'One, is to deepen the existing cooperation both in terms of volume and in terms of quality. There is already I think a recognition in each others countries and each others economies of the players and of the products. But, we must build further on that foundation and a very good example here is actually the pharmaceutical sector,' he told the gathering.
'Two, we need to diversify our trade baskets so that all of us have more options and we have more competition and in a way we are looking for new opportunities. I would like our friends from central Asian economies to appreciate that an economy today which is in excess of $4 trillion, which is growing at 6-8 per cent annually, it will create new demands for products, for services and even I would say in a way new demands out of more prosperous lifestyles,' EAM Jaishankar emphasised.He also stressed on the need to introduce greater sustainability and more predictability in economic interactions.
'That means more long-term contracts and arrangements, cross investments, joint ventures and certainly sectors like energy whether we are talking uranium, whether we are talking crude oil even potentially gas, whether we are looking at mining, If you are talking about coal or if you are discussing fertilizers, I think these are all relevant examples to reach really long term understatings between us,' the foreign minister highlighted.India's trade and economic ties with Central Asia over the last decade have shown a very strong positive trend. Mutual trade was less than $500 million a decade ago in 2014.
Today, 'what we have collectively is actually a trade volume which is almost touching $2 billion.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
an hour ago
- Indian Express
Dharmendra Yadav: ‘SP's alliance with Congress intact in UP … When was Imran Masood given the power to make calls on seat sharing?'
The tension between INDIA bloc allies Samajwadi Party (SP) and Congress in Uttar Pradesh was rekindled last month after Congress MP Imran Masood said the '80-17 formula' won't work in the 2027 Assembly elections. Masood was referring to the seat-sharing arrangement for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections that saw the Congress contest 17 of UP's 80 parliamentary seats, while the rest went to the SP. The parties reaped the benefits of the alliance, with the alliance outperforming the BJP-led NDA. But the road to the seat-sharing agreement was mired in tension, which came to the fore during the Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections in October 2023. The SP's chief whip in the Lok Sabha, Dharmendra Yadav, who is also party chief Akhilesh Yadav's cousin, speaks to The Indian Express about the alliance with the Congress, the INDIA bloc's future, and the government's announcement of the caste census, among other issues. Excerpts: * Some leaders, including Congress leader P Chidambaram, have questioned whether the INDIA bloc is still together. What is your view on this? I think the alliance is doing a very good job as the Opposition in the country. The alliance is playing a positive and constructive role… The bloc has never done negative politics. * The government has decided to include caste data in the next Census. It has also announced the timeline for the Census. The government has caved to the pressure from the Samajwadi Party. In 2011, when the last Census was done, the party had demanded caste data to be included. The honourable Mulayam Singh Yadav was among us then, and he had also raised the demand for caste to be included in the Census. Other leaders, Sharad Yadav and Lalu Prasad, and the entire Opposition were demanding a caste census. The caste census has been announced because of the movement led by the Samajwadi Party … This is a win for our struggle. * How is the SP preparing for the 2027 UP Assembly elections? It is going very well. People trust the party and our leader Akhilesh Yadav. The issues of the PDA — Pichhde (backward classes), Dalits, and Alpsankhyak (minorities) — are being raised. The people of UP have realised the future of the state lies in Akhilesh Yadav's leadership. People are unhappy with the current BJP government. Unemployment and corruption are at their peak, the law-and-order situation is at its worst, and the youth and farmers are struggling. * In the 2022 Assembly elections, the SP formed an umbrella alliance with smaller parties. Those parties have left the SP. Will there be a similar umbrella alliance in 2027? I feel the whole PDA family is with us. All sections of society are looking at Akhilesh Yadav with hope. You are right, there was an alliance in 2022 with smaller parties. But after the elections, when we couldn't form the government, these parties deserted us, and that is in front of the people. For 2027, when public support is with us, it is not important which parties are with us and which aren't. * Your alliance with the Congress made a significant impact in the Lok Sabha polls. But, before the elections, and since then too, there has been some tension. You supported the AAP in Delhi. Are there problems between the two parties? The INDIA bloc's fundamental principle was that it would go with the strongest party in the states. In Delhi, naturally, the AAP was the main Opposition party. It was in power. Today, too, they are in the Opposition in Delhi, but they are stronger than the Congress. The decision to support the AAP was as per that principle of the INDIA bloc. But this will have no impact on UP politics. Our alliance in UP is with the Congress and I have 100% hope that it will continue. And there will be a majority government of the INDIA bloc under the leadership of Akhilesh Yadav in UP … If anyone is fighting for the people, it is the SP and Akhilesh Yadav. I have full faith that the Congress will help us form the government in the state. * Recently, Congress MP Imran Masood said the '80-17 formula' won't work in 2027. He said the SP won't decide the seats that the Congress will contest. I believe that Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, and Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi can take such a decision. I don't know when the Congress gave Masood the power to make such calls. The top leadership of the Congress will decide based on the ground reality. * How many seats will the SP be willing to leave for the Congress? Akhilesh Yadav will decide that. We are Samajwadis, we follow our leader … Those falling into the BJP's trap can speculate on such things. We won't fall into these traps.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Germany reaffirms strong support in fight against terrorism, says its foreign minister
Germany reaffirms strong support in fight against terrorism, says its foreign minister (Picture credit: IANS) BERLIN: Germany reaffirmed its strong support and solidarity in the fight against terrorism, federal foreign minister Johann Wadephul told an Indian Parliamentary delegation that outlined New Delhi's resolve to not give in to nuclear blackmail by Pakistan. As the delegation visited the European country, it conveyed to German political and diplomatic leadership India's unwavering united stand for zero-tolerance for terrorism, especially in the wake of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people. The delegation, led by BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad, on Friday evening called on Minister Wadephul. "Building on his recent meeting with external affairs minister S Jaishankar, Wadephul condemned the terrorist attack in Pahalgam and reaffirmed Germany's strong support and solidarity with India, in the fight against terrorism," said a post on X by the Indian Embassy here. Both sides "discussed ways to further strengthen & deepen multi-faceted India-Germany Strategic Partnership and reiterated their commitment to a rule-based international order, based on shared democratic values," it added. "We underscored the significant threat terrorism poses to democracy, humanity, and human rights, and expressed grave concern over Pakistan-sponsored terrorism," Prasad said on X after the meeting. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Artsen ontdekken: Het geheim van snel gewichtsverlies Verbrandhetvet Undo "Emphasising the need for collective action, we stressed that democratic nations must unite to counter this menace." The discussions also focused on enhancing and deepening the multifaceted India-Germany Strategic Partnership, built on a shared commitment to upholding a rules-based international order rooted in democratic values, he added. The delegation had earlier interacted with key members of German Bundestag (MdBs) in charge of foreign and security policy, such as Jurgen Hardt, foreign policy spokesperson of CDU, and Tilman Kuban, as well as leading think-tanks in Germany. "They emphasised India's message of zero-tolerance against terrorism. The delegation conveyed that India's response to Pahalgam terrorist attack had been precise, measured and non-escalatory. They also explained India's clear position that there is no differentiation between terrorists and those who aid or shelter them," the Indian Embassy said. Earlier in the day, the delegation met the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the German Parliament 'Bundestag', Armin Laschet, and lawmakers Ralph Brinkhaus and Hubertus Heil here. "Grateful for today's exchange with the Indian All-Party Parliamentary Delegation. Germany and India share a trusted partnership, especially on global security. We also discussed the brutal 22 April terrorist attack in Pahalgam. I'm deeply shocked. Germany stands with India in the fight against terrorism," Laschet said. "Now it's vital the ceasefire holds and dialogue continues. Peace serves us all," he said in a post on X. The delegation leaders "noted momentum in India-German Strategic Partnership and joint role in ensuring global Peace and Security," the Embassy of India said in a post on X. The Indian team also held a productive interaction with Omid Nouripour, Vice President of the German Parliament, and deeply appreciated Berlin's strong and unequivocal support for India's principled stand against terrorism. "They conveyed India's firm response to Pahalgam terror attack and briefed about #OperationSindoor, reiterating the country's zero tolerance for terrorism in all its forms and manifestations," the India mission said. The delegation arrived here on Thursday from Belgium to convey India's stance. India's Ambassador to Germany Ajit Gupte welcomed the delegation and briefed its members on India-Germany ties, with a focus on expanding strategic partnership and growing cooperation in trade and investment, defence, S&T and mobility. A statement from the Indian Embassy here said that the delegation interacted with senior members of German Parliament (Bundestag) active in the fields of foreign policy and international affairs and a leading think-tank in Germany, the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) on day one. Ending the day's engagements, the delegation also had an interaction with representatives from leading German think-tanks and eminent personalities at a reception hosted by Ambassador Gupte, the statement said. The delegation includes MPs Daggubati Purandeswari, Priyanka Chaturvedi, Ghulam Ali Khatana, Amar Singh, Samik Bhattacharya, M Thambidurai and former minister of state M J Akbar and former diplomat Pankaj Saran. The delegation is one of the seven multi-party delegations India has tasked to visit 33 global capitals to reach out to the international community to emphasise Pakistan's links to terrorism. Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated after the Pahalgam terror attack, with India carrying out precision strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on May 7. The on-ground hostilities from Indian and Pakistan sides that lasted for four days ended with an understanding of stopping the military actions following talks between the directors general of military operations of both sides on May 10.
India Gazette
2 hours ago
- India Gazette
India-UK FTA will propel bilateral trade, strengthen supply chains: Jaishankar during meeting with UK Foreign Secretary
ANI 07 Jun 2025, 18:10 GMT+10 New Delhi [India], June 7 (ANI): Noting that the recent conclusion of the India-UK FTA and the Double Contribution Convention is truly a milestone, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Saturday it will propel two-way trade and investment and contribute to the strengthening of supply and value chains.' In his remarks during a meeting with the UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy, Jaishankar said India practices a policy of zero-tolerance against terrorism and expects its partners to understand this. 'I am pleased to welcome you back to India. We just had a very good meeting with Prime Minister Modi, and I think your visit at this time gives us an occasion to assess our comprehensive strategic partnership, which I believe has strengthened across all sectors in recent times,' he said. 'The recent conclusion of the India-UK FTA (Free Trade Agreement) and the Double Contribution Convention is truly a milestone. It will not only propel our two-way trade and investment but will also have a positive effect on other strategic aspects of our bilateral ties. It would also contribute to the strengthening of supply and value chains,' he added. Jaishankar said India will never countenance perpetrators of evil being put at par with its victims. 'I thank the Government of the United Kingdom for the strong condemnation of the barbaric terrorist attack in Pahalgam in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and for your solidarity and support to India in the fight against terrorism,' he said. The minister said that the UK-India infrastructure financial bridge can unlock quality long-term capital flows from the United Kingdom to India. 'There's very good collaboration in the education sector with many more universities. I believe planning to establish their campuses in India,' he said. Jaishankar said that people-to-people ties are getting stronger. (ANI)
