Jaishankar may present India’s views on Afghan peace process in Tajikistan today

Heart Of Asia, a regional initiative launched by Afghanistan and Turkey in November 2011, is one of the rare forums focused on Afghanistan that includes both India and Pakistan. The initiative includes 15 countries, including China, Russia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE

External affairs minister S Jaishankar is expected to present India’s views on the troubled Afghan peace process at a crucial meet on Afghanistan hosted by Tajikistan and hold meetings with leaders of Central Asian states on Tuesday.

External affairs minister S Jaishankar with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif during a meeting, in Tajikistan's Dushanbe. Jaishankar is in the Tajik capital at the invitation of his counterpart Sirojiddin Muhriddin. (PTI)

Jaishankar is in the Tajik capital of Dushanbe at the invitation of his counterpart Sirojiddin Muhriddin. Ahead of the ministerial meeting of the Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process, Jaishankar held talks with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Monday night and shared India’s perspectives on the peace process.

The minister tweeted about his visit on Monday and said, “Look forward to my bilateral visit and attending the Heart of Asia Conference tomorrow.”

A lot of speculation regarding Jaishankar’s visit has focused on whether he will hold a meeting with his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who is also attending the Heart of Asia meet. However, there was no official word from the Indian or Pakistani sides about such a meeting.

On Monday, Jaishankar also met his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu and discussed “Afghanistan-related developments and our bilateral relations”, he said in a tweet.

Heart Of Asia, a regional initiative launched by Afghanistan and Turkey in November 2011, is one of the rare forums focused on Afghanistan that includes both India and Pakistan. The initiative includes 15 countries, including China, Russia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Central Asian states such as Tajikistan and Kazakhstan.

As the lead country for trade, commerce, investment and confidence-building measures under the Heart of Asia initiative, India has made concerted efforts to strengthen regional connectivity for greater economic integration of Afghanistan with the rest of the region. A dedicated air freight corridor between cities in India and Afghanistan and the operationalisation of Chabahar port in Iran are steps in that direction, the external affairs ministry said.

“India, as an important stakeholder for peace, prosperity and stability in Afghanistan, has played a constructive role in the international processes on Afghanistan,” the ministry said.

India has engaged regional and international stakeholders on Afghanistan, and Jaishankar’s visit is expected to further enhance the country’s outreach to Central Asian states, with a special focus on Afghanistan, the ministry further said.

Besides participating in the Heart of Asia meeting, Jaishankar will hold talks with his Tajik counterpart on all aspects of bilateral ties and regional and international issues. He will also meet Tajik President Emomali Rahmon and other Tajik Ministers and dignitaries.

Jaishankar is also expected to meet his counterparts from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan in Dushanbe.