NEW DELHI: National Security Advisor Ajit Doval arrived in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, on Wednesday to participate in the third meeting of the India–Central Asia National Security Advisers/Secretaries of the Security Councils, amid growing regional concerns over terrorism, radicalisation, and transnational crime.
Doval was received at the airport by Melis Satybaldiev, First Deputy Secretary of the Security Council of the Kyrgyz Republic, a gesture highlighting the strategic weight of India-Kyrgyz ties and broader India-Central Asia cooperation.
Shortly after his arrival, Doval held bilateral talks with Lieutenant General Baktybek Bekbolotov, Secretary of the Security Council of Kyrgyzstan. The two sides agreed to enhance collaboration on counterterrorism, combating radicalisation, and addressing drug trafficking, issues of shared concern in the region’s fast-evolving security landscape.
The high-level meeting in Bishkek forms part of an ongoing effort by India and the five Central Asian republics to build on a regional security dialogue, launched in 2022. The platform enables deeper coordination on emerging threats, particularly in the context of Afghanistan post-2021, cross-border terrorism, and the rising influence of non-state actors.
During the talks, Doval and General Bekbolotov also underscored the importance of closely coordinating positions at regional and multilateral fora, including the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), where both India and Kyrgyzstan are active members.
India’s outreach to Central Asia through this multilateral security dialogue is part of New Delhi’s broader strategic push to expand influence. India has consistently highlighted the need for a secure, stable, and sovereign Central Asia, free from extremist threats and external destabilising influences. Doval’s participation is expected to reinforce India’s position as a reliable regional partner in tackling non-traditional threats and shaping cooperative security frameworks in Central Asia. The meeting is also likely to discuss cybersecurity, information warfare, and efforts to curb illicit financial flows, which have increasingly become part of the regional security discourse.
