India will host the third edition of its foreign ministerial dialogue with five Central Asian countries on Sunday with a focus on pressing regional issues like connectivity and developments in Afghanistan.
External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said foreign ministers of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan will participate in the meeting.
The dialogue is taking place in the backdrop of India reaching out to the five countries for participating of their top leaders as chief guests at the upcoming Republic Day celebrations.
In the last few years, India has been focusing on enhancing overall cooperation with the energy-rich Central Asian countries, considering them to be part of its extended neighbourhood.
The recent developments in Afghanistan reinforced the importance of the Central Asian countries with three of them -- Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan -- sharing borders with the war-torn nation.
The national security advisors of all the five Central Asian countries attended an India-hosted regional dialogue on Afghanistan on November 10. It was also participated by NSAs of Russia and Iran.
Bagchi said External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will be hosting the third meeting of the India-Central Asia dialogue in New Delhi from December 18-20.
"As part of the third meeting of the India-Central Asia dialogue on December 19, the ministers are expected to discuss further strengthening of relations between India and Central Asian countries with particular focus on trade, connectivity and development cooperation," he said.
It is learnt that the situation in Afghanistan will figure prominently at the talks.
Mr Bagchi said the ministers will also exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual interest.
"The foreign ministers of the Central Asian countries are expected to pay a joint courtesy call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi," he said.
The spokesperson said that there has been an active engagement between India and the five Central Asian countries over the last few years.
Mr Jaishankar visited Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan this year and met with the Foreign Minister of Turkmenistan 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," Mr Bagchi said.
The second meeting of the India-Central Asia dialogue was organised by India in October last year in digital video-conference format.
Mr Bagchi said Foreign Affairs Minister of Tajikistan Sirojiddin Muhriddin will be on a bilateral visit to India from December 18 to 20.
When asked about the Republic Day chief guest, he said announcements of this nature are made at a "suitable occasion and time". "We will definitely share with you once that is finalised," he said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
