Embassy of India
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan

Посольство Индии Ашхабад

General

Turkmenistan, one of the republics of the former USSR, was proclaimed as an independent State on 27 October 1991. It shares borders with Kazakhstan in the north, Uzbekistan in the north and North-east, Iran in the South and Afghanistan in the Southeast.  It has an area of 488,100 square kms and stretches 650 kms from north to south and 1,100 km from east to west. Eighty percent of Turkmenistan’s territory is covered by the Karakum Desert. The main river of Turkmenistan is Amu Darya, which enters the country from Afghanistan and flows along the north-eastern borders before it enters Uzbekistan.  The Karakum canal carries the waters of Amu Darya across the desert from the East to the West and is the main source of drinking water and irrigation. For administrative purposes, the country has been divided into five provinces (Welayats) - Ahal, Balkan, Dashoguz, Lebap and Mary - each headed by a Hakim (Governor). Although Turkmen is the Official Language, Russian continues to be widely used by the public. The main religion of the country is Islam (Sunni). Turkmenistan is situated in Central Asia, north of Kopet Dagh mountains between Caspian Sea in the west and Amu Darya in the east, within latitudes of 35o N and  42o N  and longitudes of 52o E and 68o E.  The country is sparsely inhabited with an estimated population of about 5.5 million.

Topography and Climate

The climate is continental with high temperatures in summer and freezing cold in winter.

Historical background

The Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic was established on 27 October 1924 as a republic within the erstwhile USSR.  On 20 August 1990, the Supreme Soviet Council of Turkmenistan proclaimed the State sovereignty of the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic. On 27 October 1991, Turkmenistan was proclaimed as an Independent State in a nation-wide referendum and the name adopted as Turkmenistan.

Politics

Turkmenistan has been politically stable since 1991.  As per the constitution, the country is a democratic and secular State. It acquired the status of “Permanent Neutrality” by a UNGA Resolution of 12 December 1995.  Turkmenistan has a Presidential form of the Government, where President is both the Head of the State and the Head of the Executive.  He is also the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.  The executive and administrative authority is exercised by the Cabinet of Ministers headed by the President. Turkmenistan had a single political party since its independence in October 1991 till August 2012.  The Democratic Party of Turkmenistan (TDP) still remains the most important political party in the country.

Mr. Saparmurat Niyazov was the President of Turkmenistan from 1991-2006.  After his death, Mr. Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov was elected as the President for a      5-year term in February 2007.  President Berdimuhamedov was re-elected for another 5-year term with a massive mandate of 97.14% in the elections held on 12 Feb 2012.

The Mejlis (Parliament) of Turkmenistan is a representative body exercising legislative powers. Membership of Mejlis was expanded to 125, for which election was held on 14 December 2008.  The members of Democratic Party of Turkmenistan (main political party) and few registered NGOs were nominated to contest the election. About 50% of the Members of Parliament are serving civil servants, teachers and tax officials etc who would continue to work in their respective jobs and attend the parliament only during voting of legislations. The parliament echoes the official line.

Economy

Turkmenistan is endowed with world-class reserves of natural gas as well as significant reserves of crude oil, iodine, potassium and rock salts. Turkmenistan has the fourth largest natural gas reserves (24.3 TCM) in the world, including the world’s second largest Galkanysh (South Yolotan) gas field.  It also has significant reserves of crude oil.  The country’s key industries are state-owned.  The World Bank has re-classified in July 2012 Turkmenistan as an ‘Upper Middle Income’ country in the world (per capita income US $ 4,110).

Being the richest country in natural gas in Central Asia and located in India’s extended neighbourhood, Turkmenistan is important for India’s energy security.  Four countries, viz., Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India (TAPI countries) are working together on a gas pipeline project, which is expected to be operational by August 2017.  On 11 December 2010, two basic documents between the four countries were signed in Ashgabat in the presence of Presidents of Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan and from India, Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas, Shri Murli Deora. The TAPI Gas Sales & Purchase Agreement (GSPA) was signed in May 2012.  Transit fee payable by India to Pakistan and Afghanistan has also been agreed.  In 2011, Turkmenistan produced about 11 million tons of crude oil and 51 billion cubic meters of gas of which about 30.5 bcm were exported.

In agricultural sector Turkmenistan produces cotton, wheat, rice, limited variety of vegetables and fruits but remains short of needs for its population. Turkmenistan had a bumper wheat crop of 1.6 million tons in 2013.  In view of continuous increase in domestic production of dairy products, butter, cheese and expansion of agro-food industry, there has been a remarkable reduction in Turkmenistan’s imports of foodstuff. However, the country still depends on import of some food items, viz., rice, sugar, milk and milk products, fruits & vegetables, etc.

Currency of Turkmenistan is Manat, with the exchange rate pegged to the U.S. Dollar at the rate of 1 US $ = 2.843 Manat.

The Turkmen economy is dynamic and grew by 8% in the year 2012.  The fast pace of growth is expected to be maintained in the years ahead due to rising natural gas production and its growing export to China.

Major economic indicators are as follows:

Bilateral

The year 2012 marked the 20th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic ties between India and Turkmenistan. TAPI (Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India) gas pipeline project has made steady progress since the TAPI Summit was held in Ashgabat in December 2010.  This project which will elevate bilateral ties to a strategic partnership, is expected to be operational in August 2017.

Major visits  from India      -     PM Shri P.V. Narasimha Rao, 19-21 Sept 1995; EAM Shri Jaswant Singh - May 1999; MOS(P&NG) Shri Dinsha Patel 13-15 Feb 2006; MOS(EA) Shri E.Ahamed- 1-4 Oct 2006 & 14 Feb 2007; Minister of Water Resources Shri Saifuddin Soz, 23-25 Dec 2006; Vice President Shri Hamid Ansari, 4-6 April 2008 ; EAM Shri S.M. Krishna 18-19 Sept.2009; MOS (PK) Smt. Preneet Kaur, 8-9 Feb.2010, MOS(P&NG) Shri Jitin Prasada, 19-20 Sept.2010; Minister (P&NG) Shri Murli Deora, 10-12 Dec.2010; MOS (Communications & IT) Shri Sachin Pilot, 16-18 October, 2011; Minister (P&NG) Shri S. Jaipal Reddy, 22-24 May 2012; Minister (Communications & IT) Shri Kapil Sibal, 16-19 September 2012; Minister (P&NG) Dr. M. Veerappa Moily, 9-10 July 2013.

Major visits to India - President Saparmyrat Niyazov, 18-20 April 1992 & 25-26 February 1997; Deputy Foreign Minister Boris Shikhmuradov 02-04 December 1992, Dy. Prime Minister & Foreign Minister 18-20 April 1995, 7-8 April 1997 and April 2000; Dy. Prime Minister & Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov, 20-22 January 2008; President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, 24-26 May 2010; Minister Oil & Gas Industry B. Nedirov, 28 April 2011; Deputy Minister of Defence Jepbar Akyyev, 29 May-4 June 2011; Deputy Chairman of Parliament Ms. Gurbangul Bayramova, 3-4 October 2012; Acting Minister of Oil/Gas Industry K. Abdullaev, 14-17 October 2012; Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov, 21-22 January 2013.

Bilateral trade in (in million US $ )

Air links with Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan Airlines operates 8 flights a week to India - 2 flights to New Delhi (Saturday and Wednesday) and 6 flights to Amritsar (all days except Friday).  Turkmenistan Airlines proposes to start 2 flights a week on the Ashgabat-Goa-Ashgabat sector in the near future.

Indian community in Turkmenistan

At present there are about 850 Indians nationals in Turkmenistan, comprising junior engineers/technicians (working in oil and gas industry) and construction workers. Most Indian nationals in Turkmenistan reside at 3 main clusters: approx. 200 Indians at South Yolotan/Mary area, 600 Indians in Ashgabat and remaining about 50 at Hazar/offshore Caspian Sea region.  There are no Indian Associations or Indian students in Turkmenistan.

January 2014