Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held bilateral talks with Tajikistan's Defence Minister Emomali Sobirzoda in Dushanbe after arriving in the Central Asian nation to participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of Government meeting.

Sobirzoda personally welcomed the Indian Defence Minister on his arrival, while Sherali Jonon, Head of the Asia-Pacific Division at Tajikistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was also present during the engagement.

The meeting reflected the close and longstanding relationship between India and Tajikistan, with both sides expressing appreciation for their partnership and discussing ways to further strengthen bilateral cooperation in the years ahead.

Welcoming the Indian delegation, Sobirzoda said Tajikistan was pleased and honoured to host India's Defence Minister during the SCO gathering, describing the visit as significant for bilateral ties.

The Tajik minister also recalled previous interactions with Rajnath Singh, including their discussions during earlier SCO defence-related meetings.

Rajnath Singh thanked the Tajik leadership for the warm reception and reaffirmed that India and Tajikistan enjoy strong relations built on mutual trust and cooperation.

He emphasised his desire to see defence ties deepen further and noted that his previous visit to Tajikistan in 2021 had left lasting memories, which returned during his latest trip.

In a message shared after the meeting, Singh described the discussions as productive and said both sides exchanged views on expanding bilateral defence cooperation in areas of mutual interest.

Particular emphasis was placed on capacity building and military training, two areas that have increasingly become important pillars of India-Tajikistan defence engagement.

The bilateral meeting took place on the sidelines of the 25th SCO Council of Heads of Government meeting, where member states are expected to review cooperation initiatives and discuss the organisation's future institutional and financial functioning.

According to the Ministry of Defence, the SCO discussions are focused on strengthening collaboration in culture, connectivity, economy, innovation, investment and people-to-people exchanges among member states.

The gathering will also assess progress on existing cooperative initiatives across the Eurasian grouping and explore practical measures to enhance regional cooperation.

India continues to play an active role within various SCO mechanisms and has contributed through initiatives linked to Start-Ups, innovation, digital public infrastructure and people-to-people engagement.

The Dushanbe meeting provides New Delhi with an opportunity to exchange views with fellow SCO members on advancing mutually beneficial cooperation while simultaneously reinforcing strategic partnerships with key Central Asian nations such as Tajikistan.

India and Tajikistan have steadily expanded their cooperation over the years, particularly in defence, security, training and regional stability, making the latest interaction another important step in strengthening ties between the two countries.

ANI