Official visit of Secretary (West), Ministry of External Affairs to Ashgabat, Turkmenistan on 21 January 2026

Secretary (West), Ministry of External Affairs, Shri Sibi George led an official delegation to Ashgabat, Turkmenistan on 21 January 2026, for the 5th Round of India-Turkmenistan Foreign Office Consultations and the SPECA (United Nations Special Programme for the Economies of Central Asia) Economic Forum.

2. Secretary (West) called on Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan & Deputy Chairman of Cabinet of Ministers, H.E. Mr. Rashid Meredov on 21 January 2026 and conveyed to him warm greetings from External Affairs Minister, Dr. S. Jaishankar. They also discussed ways to further strengthen the mutually beneficial partnership between India and Turkmenistan. During the Foreign Office Consultations co-chaired by Secretary (West) and the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan H.E. Ms. Myahri Byashimova, in Ashgabat, the same day, both sides reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral relations including Political, Defence, Security, Trade-Economic, Cultural, Education and Consular matters. The two sides also discussed cooperation under the framework of United Nations and other multilateral fora and exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest.

3. Representing India as a guest country at the SPECA Economic Forum, chaired by the Minister of Finance and Economy of Turkmenistan H.E Mr. Mammetguly Astanagulov, Secretary (West) presented India's vision for enhancing trade, economic, investment and connectivity linkages between India and Central Asian countries.

4. The visit of Secretary (West) is in line with India's 'Extended Neighbourhood' policy to strengthen ties with Turkmenistan and other Central Asian countries with which India shares long-standing bonds of friendship and cooperation.

Ashgabat
January 21, 2026