Afghanistan situation has wider repercussions for Central Asia: EAM Jaishankar at 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue

New Delhi: External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar said the situation in Afghanistan has wider repercussions for the Central Asian region during the 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue held at the Sushma Swaraj Bhawan here on Monday (December 6)

The EAM said that both India and Russia have a common interest in ASEAN centrality, adding "India-Russia meeting today will address the emergence of multipolarity and rebalancing. We look at the consequence of over-centralized globalisation. Long-standing challenges of terrorism, violent extremism remain among newer challenges."

Jaishankar said, "The situation in Afghanistan has wider repercussions including for Central Asia," adding that the India-Russia meeting today will address the emergence of multipolarity and rebalancing. "We look at the consequence of over-centralized globalisation. Long-standing challenges of terrorism, violent extremism remain among newer challenges," he is quoted by ANI as saying.

During the discussion, the EAM reportedly said that India and Russia are working to ensure peace, progress and prosperity for the people of both countries, adding "We are meeting at a critical juncture in the global geopolitical environment which is in great flux, especially in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic." 

"As close friends and strategic partners, India and Russia have been working to safeguard our common interests and to ensure peace, progress and prosperity for our people," he added.

The EAM also stressed that the strong and steady ties between India and Russia and said that "Our ties have been close and time-tested, in a world that has changed so much, they have been exceptionally steady"."We"ve have an active, dialogue at political levels and also a strong defence partnership over many years," Jaishankar added.

The EAM also expressed that the meeting has provided India and Russia with a suitable platform to discuss political-military issues of mutual interest, adding "Our meeting gives us a suitable platform to discuss political-military issues of mutual interest that are interrelated and cross-cutting."

#WATCH External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov bump elbows as they meet in New Delhi today pic.twitter.com/g555h4a7W8 — ANI (@ANI) December 6, 2021

Besides Jaishankar, the meeting was also attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and Russian counterparts Sergey Lavrov and Sergey Shoigu.

Earlier today, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his Russian counterpart also signed the agreements for the procurement of 6,01,427 7.63x39mm assault rifles AK-203 through Indo-Russia Rifles Pvt Ltd, under the military-technical cooperation arrangement for 2021-31.

Delhi | Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Russian Defence Minister General Sergey Shoigu sign agreements between India and Russia pic.twitter.com/QDF3greES4 — ANI (@ANI) December 6, 2021

'India-Russia ties remarkably strong amid rapid geopolitical changes'

Ahead of the 2 + 2 ministerial dialogue, Dr S Jaishankar told his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, "The partnership between India and Russia is special and unique. I am confident that our discussions today will be very fruitful. The annual India-Russia summit is taking place after a gap of two years today."

During his meeting with Lavrov, Jaishankar said, "Today we have an opportunity not only to discuss our bilateral ties and global situation." 

Underscoring the importance of the India-Russia annual summit, he said, "Prime Minister Modi and President Putin share a relationship of great trust and confidence. We are looking forward to some very significant outcomes from the Summit." 

Describing India-Russia ties as "very special and unique", Jaishankar said, "India is very conscious that in the world of rapid geopolitical changes, it has been remarkably steady and strong. We are very satisfied with our bilateral relations and the state of our cooperations."

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar meet in New Delhi. pic.twitter.com/cK49kEV4x7 — ANI (@ANI) December 6, 2021

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) last month had said that the agenda for the "two plus two" format dialogue between India and the Russian Federation will cover "political and defence issues of mutual interest". 

"The agenda for the dialogue will cover political and defence issues of mutual interest. The establishment of this new mechanism of two plus two dialogue is expected to further strengthen the strategic partnership between the two countries," MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi had said last month. 

On Saturday, the Russian Ambassador to India Nikolay Kudashev had said that he is expecting a "sizeable and formidable joint political statement" from the annual summit."Negotiating teams are working about outcomes of the Summit, work is on. But what`s clear for today is that one of the outcomes would be a sizeable and formidable joint political statement," Russian Envoy said in an exclusive interview to ANI.

"It would be a very comprehensive paper, a comprehensive document covering all dimensions of our ties beginning with global issues and the UN revived commitment to itself to its central position in the modern world. Then would come regional issues, Afghanistan included," he added.

Later in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold the 21st annual India-Russia summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Both countries are expected to sign more than 10 agreements following annual talks between PM Modi and President Putin. These agreements will be in the fields of space, culture, science and technology, defence etc. 

(With Agency Inputs)

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