New Delhi: Afghanistan, counter-terrorism and connectivity will be the key focus of the first India-Central Asia National Security Advisor (NSA) meeting to be held in Delhi on Tuesday (December 6). The meeting is one of the key outcomes of the India-Central Asia Virtual Summit that took place in January and also envisaged meetings at the level of Foreign and Defense Ministers. Central Asia consists of 5 countries Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, which share with India its extended neighborhood and share a civilizational, cultural and historical affinity. India will be represented by NSA Ajit Doval in Tuesday’s meeting and four of the five Central Asian countries at the NSA level or Secretary of the Security Council.
Turkmenistan is being represented by its Ambassador in Delhi. According to Indian government sources, the situation in Afghanistan remains an area of ”shared concern” for the countries participating in the meeting. 3 Central Asian countries, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan share borders with Afghanistan and have seen outbreaks from the current situation in Afghanistan.
The Taliban took over the country after the collapse of the Afghan Republic in August last year and there have been concerns since then that the country has become a safe haven for militant groups. Sources said that, “the intensity of violence in Afghanistan has increased” and “a number of active groups including Jaish, Lashkar have a presence”.
India has expressed its concern several times publicly over terrorism emanating from Afghanistan, but concerns also remain about Pakistan’s support for cross-border terrorism. When asked whether the Central Asian countries agree with Pakistan’s support of terrorism, the sources said they are “aware of it” and “they are aware of the backward linkages”.
A joint statement will also be issued after the day-long meeting on Tuesday, which will call on “all countries to abide by international commitments” to act on “individuals designated by the relevant organs of the United Nations”. This will be seen as a message to Islamabad, which has been seen as having a lax approach on the implementation of UNSC sanctions on listed terrorists.
On connectivity, the focus will be on the use of the Chabahar port, as no direct land access exists between the two sides. The port has been used to send humanitarian aid to Afghanistan and aims to integrate it with the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) that connects Mumbai to Moscow.
Given the historical connection, the Tajik delegation plans to visit Mirza Bedil’s tomb in Delhi, while the Kyrgyz delegation has requested a visit to the Taj Mahal in Agra. Mirza Bedil is regarded as one of the greatest Indian poets, who has inspired many and continues to enjoy prominence in Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Iran. His grave has also been visited by Tajik President Emomali Rahmon in 2006. In 2015, PM Modi presented a miniature painting of Bedil’s mausoleum in Delhi to the Tajik President.