The Foreign Ministers of India and Central Asian countries have united in a strong stance against cross-border terrorism and the use of terrorist proxies, reaffirming their commitment to combating terrorism in all its forms. This unified position was a key outcome of the 4th India-Central Asia Dialogue held in New Delhi on June 6, 2025, chaired by India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.
The ministers unequivocally condemned the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir, on April 22, 2025, which claimed the lives of 26 tourists, and conveyed their firm support for India's ongoing efforts to combat cross-border terrorism.
In a joint statement issued at the end of the meeting, the Foreign Ministers reiterated that providing safe haven, using terrorist proxies for cross-border terrorism, terror financing, arms and drugs trafficking, dissemination of radical ideologies, and the abuse of cyberspace to spread disinformation and incite violence are against the basic principles of humanity and international relations. They emphasized that perpetrators, organizers, financiers, and sponsors of terrorist acts must be held accountable and brought to justice. They also called for the early adoption of the UN Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism and stressed the need to strengthen UN-led global counter-terrorism cooperation and fully implement relevant UNSC resolutions, the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, and FATF standards.
The Dialogue also focused on enhancing connectivity between India and Central Asia. The Ministers emphasized the optimum usage of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) and highlighted that connectivity projects should be based on principles of transparency, broad participation, local priorities, financial sustainability, and respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries. India supported the membership of Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan in the INSTC.
In addition to security and connectivity, the ministers discussed strengthening financial connectivity through digital payment systems, enhanced inter-bank relations, and trade in national currencies to encourage greater trade, investment, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges. They also expressed interest in joint exploration of rare earth and critical minerals and called for the second India-Central Asia Rare Earth Forum meeting to be organized at the earliest convenience.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with the Foreign Ministers of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan following the Dialogue. He highlighted India's longstanding historical and cultural ties with Central Asia and underscored that the region remains a vital priority in India's foreign policy. Modi laid out a comprehensive vision for deeper economic interconnections, expanded connectivity, enhanced defense and security cooperation, and collaboration in emerging areas such as digital technology and climate resilience. He also extended formal invitations to the leaders of all five Central Asian nations for the Second India-Central Asia Summit, to be hosted by India.
