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Ashgabat News Letter

 

 

NEWS LETTER
(January-April 2015)
Embassy of India
Ashgabat

TAPI Gas Pipeline Project

The Steering Committee of TAPI (Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India) pipeline project was held in Islamabad on 11 February. Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Hon’ble Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas (I/c) led the Indian delegation.  He reiterated the commitment of India to the project and called for its early implementation. The 21st Steering Committee of TAPI (Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India) pipeline project was held in Kabul on 19 March.   The Government of Turkmenistan has, at several fora, beginning last November, announced that the implementation of the project will begin by the end of 2015.            

Visit of delegation of ONGC (Videsh) Ltd.

A 2-member delegation from the ONGC Videsh Ltd. (OVL) led by Shri Balbir Singh, Senior Vice President and Dr. M. K. Nayyar, Vice President visited Ashgabat from 15-17 March, 2015. The delegation met with the Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers in charge of Oil and Gas Mr. Baymyrat Hojamuhhamedov, Minister of Oil & Gas Industry and Mineral resources Mr. Haliyev and other senior officials of the State Agency on use & management of Hydrocarbon resources.

The ONGC had earlier participated in an off-shore project but did not find it economically viable and hence closed the operations. The OVL proposed to open its representative office in Ashgabat. The Turkmen side welcomed the proposal.

'Year of Peace and Neutrality'

On March 19, the Embassy of Turkmenistan in India jointly with the Silk Road Studies Programme at the Javaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi held an International Scientific Conference “2015 – a Year of Neutrality and Peace: for the sake of Peace and Development in the region of the Great Silk Road – Turkmenistan and India”.

The Conference was attended by more than 40 leading Turkmen and Indian professors from the Academy of Sciences of Turkmenistan, the Magtymguly Turkmen State University, the Institute of International Relations of Turkmenistan MFA, the Javaharlal Nehru University, the Delhi University, the Jamia Millia Islamia and also by policy researchers, historians, art critics, students from the above higher educational establishments, members of diplomatic corps and representatives of mass media. 

Ms. Sujata Mehta, Secretary (ER & DPA), MEA of India, emphasized on the status of neutrality of Turkmenistan and its significance in the international arena. She also underlined the ancient historical and cultural roots of Turkmen-Indian relations.

Visit of delegation from Department of Fertilizers

A 3-member delegation from the Department of Fertilizer led by Shri Sham Lal Goyal, Joint Secretary visited Ashgabat from 5-8 April 2015. The delegation held talks with senior officials of Turkmen Gaz and State concern Turkmenhimiya  to explore possibility of setting up  a plant  in Turkmenistan for the production of Urea and  Ammonia. Indian side stated that a similar joint venture between India and Oman has been successfully producing Urea and India is purchasing its all of the produce. The Turkmen side welcomed the proposal and asked Indian side to send a block diagram of the proposed Joint Venture and the particulars of joint venture in Oman for their considering the proposal.

'Namaste India' Concert

Embassy of India in Ashgabat organized an Indian Cultural Show ‘Namaste India’ Concert in association with the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR)  and the Ministry of Culture of Turkmenistan. The concert was held at ‘Watan Theatre’ in Ashgabat on 26 March 2015. The concert was inaugurated by the Ambassador of India to Turkmenistan Dr. T.V. Nagendra Prasad with the Chief Guest, H.E Mr. Annageldi Garajayev, Minister of Culture of Turkmenistan. The concert started with a Sitar recital by the Pandit Prateek Chaudhuri, followed by the Kathak dance performed by Ms Anupriya Mukherjee. At the end,  a Jugaulbandi (duet) of Sitar and Kathak was also performed with few Indian Bollywood melodies. The Concert was a great success and attracted a huge audience particularly the youth.


Inauguration of ‘Namaste India’ Concert




H.E Mr. Annageldi Garajayev, Minister of Culture of Turkmenistan addressing the gathering at ‘Namaste India’


Pandit Prateek Chaudhuri performance



Audience at Watan Theatre



Ms. Anupriya Mukherji’s ‘Kathak’ performance



Audience at Watan Theatre



Artists interacting with audience


Visit of Hon’ble External Affairs of India Smt. Sushma Swaraj to Ashgabat (April 7-9, 2015)

Hon’ble EAM Smt. Sushma Swaraj visited Ashgabat from 7-9 April 2015 for the 5th Inter-Governmental Joint Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technological Cooperation.   During the visit, EAM called on President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, held meetings with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mr. Rashid Meredov, Deputy Prime Minister for Culture & Media Mrs. Maysa Yazmuhamedova  and interacted with students learning Hindi at Azadi Institute of World Languages.

The discussions covered entire gamut of bilateral relations and President of Turkmenistan reiterated that the implementation of the TAPI Gas Pipeline project would commence by the end of 2015.

At the Inter-Governmental Joint Commission meeting, new areas of cooperation were identified in petrochemicals, archaeology, yoga etc.  During the meetings, Government of Turkmenistan agreed to support celebration of International Day of Yoga on June 21, 2015.  The Protocol of IGC and MoU on upgradation of Turkmen India Industrial Training Centre were signed during the visit.



Bilateral consultation between India and Turkmenistan ledy by EAM and Foreign Minister H.E. Rashid Meredov on April 8, 2015 in Ashgabat



EAM being received by H.E. Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov at Presidential Palace, Ashgabat on April 8, 2015



Foreign Ministers of India and Turkmenistan sigining MOU on upgradation of Turkmen India Industrial Training Centre and Protocol on 5th IGC on April 8, 2015 in Ashgabat



EAM with Hindi students at Azadi Institute of World Languages Ashgabat. April 8, 2015



EAM being received by DPM & Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov at the Foreign Ministry Business visits


Some Indian businessmen in Pharma sector visited Turkmenistan during January-April 2015 to register their products with the concerned authorities in Turkmenistan.

Ambassador visits Turkmen-India Centre for Information Technology (TICIT)

On 15th April, 2015, Ambassador Dr. T.V. Nagendra Prasad visited Turkmen-India Centre for Information Technology (TICIT) located at the Magtymguly State University in Ashgabat. Ambassador was briefed about the Centre by the Rector of the University, Mr. Hanmyradov Gurtnyyaz Nuryevish. While expressing their gratitude to Government of India for establishing the Centre, which has been providing training in IT to both regular and in-service candidates, they requested for some new courses and also training for their trainers in India. The Centre was established in the year 2011 with the assistance of Government of India



Ambassador visits Turkmen-India Industrial Training Centre (TIITC)

Ambassador Dr. T. V. Nagendra Prasad paid a visit to Turkmen-India Industrial Training Center (TIITC) at the Turkmen State Architectural and Construction Institute, Ashgabat on 30.04.2015.  Ambassador held talks with the Rector of the Institute Mr. Atamanov B. Yaylymovich about the functioning of the centre. Ambassador expressed satisfaction that the machines were in working condition and that the students were benefited. It may be mentioned that the Government of India had set up the TIITC in 2002 with the service provider HMT-International.  A MOU was signed during the recent visit of Hon’ble External Affairs Minister Smt. Sushma Swaraj to Turkmenistan to upgrade and modernize the Centre. The process of up-gradation and modernization is being carried out by the HMT-I with the financial assistance of the Government of India.
 

 
 
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