RAJYA SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2927
TO BE ANSWERED ON 19.03.2020
HOSTING OF INDIA-CENTRAL ASIA DIALOGUE
2927. SHRI SAMBHAJI CHHATRAPATI:
Will the Minister for External Affairs be pleased to state:
(a) whether India has offered to host Second India-Central Asia Dialogue with participation of Afghanistan during 2020;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether any comprehensive agenda has been firmed up for the dialogue so that the same is circulated well in time for the participating countries to come prepared for fruitful discussions; and
(d) whether there is any plan to also organize one to one meeting of business and industry entrepreneurs to explore the possibility of signing MoUs under the overall banner of respective Governments?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
[SHRI V. MURALEEDHARAN]
(a) Yes.
(b) At the First India-Central Asia Dialogue at the level of Foreign Ministers with the participation of Afghanistan held in Samarkand (Uzbekistan) in January 2019, it was announced that the 2nd India-Central Asia Dialogue will be held in India in 2020. The
dates for the Second India-Central Asia Dialogue with the participation of Afghanistan are to be finalized for which all the concerned countries are being consulted.
(c) The agenda for the Second India-Central Asia Dialogue is under preparation.
(d) The India-Central Asian Business Council was launched in New Delhi on 06 February 2020 which provides a platform for business representatives from India and the Central Asian countries to explore cooperation and further deepen trade, economic and investment
ties between India and Central Asia. FICCI from India and the nominated national chambers of commerce from each of the five Central Asian countries are part of the India-Central Asia Business Council.
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