NEW DELHI, 28 January 2022, (TON): An Indian official said “India and five central Asian countries decided to set up a joint working group for providing aid to Afghanistan to tackle the humanitarian crisis and the issue of recognition of the Taliban.”

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted a virtual summit with leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

China’s official Xinhua news agency reported “India and China are competing for influence in the region. Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday chaired a similar virtual summit with leaders of Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan to build even closer ties.”

A joint declaration after Thursday’s summit said there was a broad regional consensus on the issues related to Afghanistan, which includes the formation of a truly representative and inclusive government, combating extremist groups and drug trafficking and preserving the rights of women, children and national ethnic groups and minorities.

Reenat Sandhu, secretary in India’s External Affairs Ministry, told reporters in New Delhi “Modi and the five leaders also agreed to set up another joint working group to develop Chabahar port in Iran to provide sea access to landlocked countries.”

Afghanistan and Central Asian countries lack overland connectivity with India, which has invested in developing and running Chabahar port to promote trade in the region.