India-Central Asian Foreign Ministers speak in one voice against cross-border terror & terror proxies
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The Indian and the Central Asian Foreign Ministers on Friday unequivocally condemned the terrorist attack in Pahalgham and reaffirmed their firm commitment to fight against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.At the fourth India-Central Asia dialogue the Ministers also 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.The Ministers without naming Pakistan and other terror infrastructure 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.The Ministers expressed interest in joint exploration of rare earth and critical minerals.Appreciating the outcomes of the first India-Central Asia Rare Earth Forum held in September 2024 in New Delhi, they called upon the relevant authorities to hold the second India-Central Asia Rare Earth Forum meeting at the earliest convenience. The Ministers also encouraged exchange of delegations to explore new areas of cooperation in critical minerals.It may be pointed out that China is making big inroads into Central Asia's rare earth sector.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 of Foreign Affairs of Central Asian countries reiterated support of their countries for permanent membership of India in an expanded and reformed UN Security Council.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, according to the joint statement.The Ministers emphasized optimum usage of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) to enhance connectivity between India and the Central Asian countries. They stressed that connectivity initiatives should be based on the principles of transparency, broad participation, local priorities, financial sustainability, respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries in an indirect reference to BRI that passes through PoK.India reiterated its support for the membership of Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan in INSTC. In this context, Ministers appreciated the initiative taken by Kazakhstan to develop the eastern branch of INSTC.
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