New Delhi, Oct 17: India on Tuesday offered the central Asian countries fully-funded capacity in a wide range of areas such as cyber security to effectively combat terrorism and drug trafficking.
Making the offer at a security conclave in Kazakhstan, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval said terrorism continues to constitute one of the most serious threats to international peace and security and the menace, regardless of its motivation or cause, is “unjustifiable”.
“Terrorism, in all its forms and manifestations, continues to constitute one of the most serious threats to international peace and security,” he said.
The NSA offered “fully funded” capacity building programmes to the five central Asian country in a wide range of areas by India.
In his address at the conclave of NSAs of India and central Asian countries, Doval said drug trafficking is a serious menace and is often leveraged by terrorist organisations and organised crime gangs.
Offering India’s assistance to deal with the challenge, he said there is need to coordinate closely to eradicate this menace.
Doval said India invited the Heads of the cyber security agencies of all the central Asian countries to India for a strategic cyber experience.
?Refering to the meeting being held when the world is witnessing various challenges, he said dialogue is the only answer to settling difference and disputes. Diplomacy must be at the centre of all conflict resolution initiatives, he said noting that India stands for deep meaningful and sustainable engagement with all central Asian countries.
The NSAs of central Asian countries appreciated India’s proposals to further strengthen India-Central Asia linkage including through capacity building.
Doval also said India is ready to provide the central Asian nations the technology relating to United Payment Interface (UPI) free of cost for their Independent use.
He said setting up of sovereign digital payment systems will greatly enhance commercial linkages between India and Central Asia and benefit people who may have to travel to India for medical treatment, according to sources.
The NSA said connectivity and economic integration with the central Asian countries is a key priority for India. However, while promoting connectivity, it is important to ensure that connectivity initiatives are consultative, transparent and participatory, he said.
Doval said connectivity initiatives should respect sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries and that they should also adhere to environmental parameters, ensure financial viability and not become debt burdens.
The remarks came amid increasing criticism of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). In this context, the absence of direct land access between Central Asia and India is an anomaly, Doval observed. This absence of direct connectivity is the result of a conscious policy of denial by a particular country, he said in comments seen as an indirect reference to Pakistan.
He said this situation is not only self-defeating for this country but it also reduces the collective well-being of the entire region.
Doval also underlined the advantages of including the Chabahar port in the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC). He invited central Asian neighbours to utilize the Chabahar port as well as its Shaheed Bahesti terminal, being operated by an Indian company, for maritime trade. He solicited support for including Chabahar port within the framework of INSTC.
Both Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan will be joining the INSTC soon. With this, all the five central Asian countries will be a member of the INSTC.
The first meeting of NSAs and secretaries of Security Councils of India and central Asian nations was held on December 6 last year in New Delhi. (PTI)