Indian, Tajik Foreign Ministers Note Potential To Expand Economic Cooperation

NEW DELHI (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 31st March, 2021) Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Wednesday held a meeting with Foreign Minister of Tajikistan Sirojiddin Muhriddin and discussed ways to expand the bilateral economic cooperation.

Jaishankar is currently paying his first official visit to Tajikistan as the Indian foreign minister. Earlier in the day, he met with Tajikistan parliamentary speaker Zokirzoda Mahmadtohir Zoir and expressed appreciation for the strong parliamentary support for Indo-Tajik cooperation.

"Foreign Minister Sirojiddin and I shared a common view that while our bilateral strategic relations have grown and expanded over the years, there is potential for further strengthening our economic cooperation. We would encourage the business community, the chambers and trade bodies of both sides to engage more intensively with each other while the governments will continue to play a facilitating role," Jaishankar said after the meeting.

During the visit to Dushanbe, the Indian top diplomat also held meetings with Tajikistan's President Emomali Rahmon, Defence Minister Col. Gen. Sherali Mirzo and other top officials.

"Given our common interest in maintaining peace and security in the region, defense and security cooperation occupies a very important role in our overall cooperation matrix," Jaishankar said.

The Indian foreign minister also vowed to support Tajikistan within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) where Dushanbe is now holding the presidency and wished the country a successful organization of the upcoming SCO summit.