Dushanbe, July 3 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna has described India's relationship with Tajikistan as excellent.
"It's a great honour for me and a privilege to be here in Dushanbe in Tajikistan. I have been looking forward to this visit of mine to this beautiful country and I am glad I have been able to make it today. India and Tajikistan have an excellent relationship, a very cordial one, and indeed a very satisfying one," said Krishna after meeting his Tajik counterpart Hamrokhon Zarifi in Dushanbe.
"This year, we will be completing the 20 years of our establishment of diplomatic relations," he added.
Krishna said he and his Tajik counterpart discussed the world financial situation, which is deteriorating every day
"We discussed the bilateral relations between our two countries. We discussed the regional developments. We also discussed the world financial situation, which is deteriorating every day and the possible impact that it has on the other countries. All these were of great interest to both of our countries," he added.
Krishna's visit to Dushanbe, which is the first by any Indian External Affairs Minister in nine years, is part of India's Connect Central Asia Policy to tap the natural resources-rich region.
Tajikistan is a strategically located Central Asian country and has borders with Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and China.
Ties between India and Tajikistan deepened in the late 1990s, when they came closer following rise of Taliban in Afghanistan. Both countries have been active in promoting counter-terrorism and defence cooperation.
India is also in talks with Tajikistan to set up a military hospital even as it maintains an air base in Ayni there, the country's only such facility overseas. (ANI)
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