Afghan situation has wider repercussions for Central Asia, says Jaishankar

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday said that that the situation in Afghanistan has wider repercussions for the Central Asian region and added that both India and Russia have a common interest in ASEAN centrality.

Jaishankar's remarks came during the 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue held at the Sushma Swaraj Bhawan here on Monday.

"India-Russia meeting today will address the emergence of multipolarity and rebalancing. We look at the consequence of over-centralized globalisation. Long-standing challenges of terrorism, violent extremism remain among newer challenges," Jaishankar said.

"The situation in Afghanistan has wider repercussions including for Central Asia," Jaishankar added.

The minister further noted stated that the India-Russia meeting today will address the emergence of multipolarity and rebalancing.

"We look at the consequence of over-centralized globalisation. Long-standing challenges of terrorism, violent extremism remain among newer challenges," he said.

During the discussion, the EAM also said that India and Russia are working to ensure peace, progress and prosperity for the people of both countries.

"We are meeting at a critical juncture in the global geopolitical environment which is in great flux, especially in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic," Jaishankar said.

"As close friends and strategic partners, India and Russia have been working to safeguard our common interests and to ensure peace, progress and prosperity for our people," he added.

Besides the EAM, the meeting was also attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and Russian counterparts Sergey Lavrov and Sergey Shoigu.

During his remarks, the EAM also stressed the strong and steady ties between India and Russia and said that "Our ties have been close and time-tested, in a world that has changed so much, they have been exceptionally steady".

"We"ve have an active, dialogue at political levels and also a strong defence partnership over many years," Jaishankar added.

The EAM also expressed that the meeting has provided India and Russia with a suitable platform to discuss political-military issues of mutual interest.

"Our meeting gives us a suitable platform to discuss political-military issues of mutual interest that are interrelated and cross-cutting," he said,

Earlier today, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his Russian counterpart also signed the agreements for the procurement of 6,01,427 7.63x39mm assault rifles AK-203 through Indo-Russia Rifles Pvt Ltd, under the military-technical cooperation arrangement for 2021-31.

Later in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold the 21st annual India-Russia summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Both countries are expected to sign more than 10 agreements following annual talks between PM Modi and President Putin.

These agreements will be in the fields of space, culture, science and technology, defence etc.