New Delhi: Stating that they live in an extended neighbourhood that continues to face multiple security challenges, India and Tajikistan today decided to strengthen defence cooperation and inked a pact to share financial intelligence to counter money laundering and financing of terrorism.
The pact was among three signed by the two countries after comprehensive talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Tajik President Emomali Rahmon on strategic issues including threats posed by radicalisation and extremism, trade and investments.
“We assessed the broad progress achieved under different pillars of our bilateral engagement, including our partnership in defence and security.
“India and Tajikistan live in an extended neighbourhood that continues to face multiple security challenges and threats. The threat from terrorism endangers not just our two countries. It casts a long shadow of violence and instability over the entire region,” Modi said at a joint press meet with Rahmon.
Combating terrorism has, therefore, been an important area of cooperative engagement between the two countries, the Prime Minister said.
“We appreciate Tajikistans role in the Central Asian region as a mainstay against forces of extremism, radicalism, and terrorism. President Rahmon and I agreed today to strengthen action on this front based on mutually agreed priorities,” he said.
The Prime Minister said India will work on trade and transit linkages with Tajikistan as well as other central Asian nations through the Chabahar Port. He made the remarks following his meeting with the visiting Tajik President Emomali Rahmon here on Saturday.
“India and Tajikistan enjoy a rewarding partnership in capacity and institution-building.
“The president and I agreed on the need to increase the scope and scale of our economic engagement, especially trade and investment traffic,” PM Modi said at a joint press conference with President Rahmon.
Modi said that he had a “fruitful discussion” with President Rahmon and the two leaders also agreed that “peace in Afghanistan is important for the region”.
Pointing at the growing menace of terrorism in Asia and other parts of the world, Prime Minister Modi praised Tajikistan for its role in fighting terror.
“We appreciate Tajikistan’s role in the central-Asian region as a mainstay against the forces of extremism, radicalism and terrorism,” he said.Both the leaders also called for an end to sponsorship, support and safe havens to terrorists.
President Rahmon reaffirmed Tajikistan’s resolve to strengthen bilateral counter-terrorism cooperation with India.
The Tajikistan delegation has invited Indian companies to build a number of hydroelectric power projects in their country. The Tajik leader welcomed the agreement among India, Iran and Afghanistan on establishing Chahbahar Transport and Transit Corridors and said that it will enable Tajikistan’s connectivity to warm waters and to large Indian market.
On his part, Rahmon said terrorism and extremism undermine all developmental efforts worldwide.
A joint statement issued after the talks said the two leaders discussed situation in the region and stressed that terrorism and extremism seriously threaten peace, stability and progress of all countries.
“The two leaders agreed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations must be eliminated without any distinction between good and bad terrorists and called for an end to sponsorship, support and provision of safe havens and sanctuaries to terrorists,” the statement said.
Modi and Rahmon reaffirmed their resolve to work for early adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism by the UN General Assembly.
Apart from MoU concerning Cooperation in the Exchange of Financial Intelligence related to money laundering, related crimes and financing of terrorism, the two sides also inked pacts on broadcasting of audio visual programmes and protocol amending the Avoidance of Double Taxation and Prevention of Fiscal Evasion and announced initialling of document on Bilateral Investment Treaty.