Apart from talks on Afghanistan in the post-2014 NATO forces withdrawal situation, discussions are also likely to take place during the visit of the Indian Vice President Hamid Ansari to Tajikistan on the proposal to set up a hospital at an airbase near Dushanbe which has been recently re-constructed with India’s help.

Tajikistan, which is facing the problem of insurgency, is likely to seek India’s help in counter terrorism and is also interested in the stability in Afghanistan post NATO forces withdrawal.

Vice President Ansari is leaving for Dushanbe on Sunday alongwith an official and business delegation. The Indian Minister of State for Agriculture and food processing Tariq Anwar and four Members of Indian Parliament are also accompanying the Vice President.

The Indian public sectors, BHEL and NHPC, had undertook the renovation of the two units of Varzob-I hydro power plant with an upgraded capacity of 2x4.75 MW. Both these units have been successfully completed. BHEL and NHPC are likely to bid for the third unit of Varzob-I.

This will the first visit of an Indian Vice President to Tajikistan. Vice President Ansai will received at the Dushanbe International Airport by the Tajik Prime Minister Akil Akilov and his deputy foreign minister and the chief of the protocol on April 14. The Indian Ambassador to Tajikistan and members of the Indian Mission will also be present.

The Indian Vice President Ansari will have restricted meeting with the Tajik President Emomali Rahmon on April 15. He will also meet the Chairman of the Upper House of the Tajik Parliament Mahmadsaid Ubaidulloev. He will lay a wreath at Ismoili Somoni Memorial.

Counter terrorism, defence and security cooperation, North-South Corridor and Afghan Wakhan Corridor and boosting bilateral trade will figure in the talks.

The Tajik Prime Minister Akil Akilov, the Deputy Prime Minister, the Tajik Minister of Economic Development and Trade Sharif Rahimzode, Tajik Minister of Defence Co Gen Sherali Khayrulloev and the Tajik Foreign Minister Hamrokhon Zarifi will call on the Indian Vice President Ansari.

President Emomali Rahmon will host a banquet dinner in honour of the Indian Vice President Ansari.

On April 16, Vice President Ansari will visit Nurek Hydro-electric project where he will be received by the Khatlon Governor Ghaybullo Saidovich Avzalov who will host a lunch in his honour.

Vice President Ansari will visit Opera and Ballet Theatre at Dushanbe where he will be received by the Tajik Minister of Culture Mirzo Shokhrukh Asriri.

On April 17 Vice President will visit Tajik Technical University and also its engineering workshop set up by the Indian public sector, Hindustan Machine Tools. He will also visit the National Museum of Antiquities. Vice President is expected to come back to New Delhi on April 17 evening.

Relations between India and Tajikistan have traditionally been cordial and close. During the last State visit of the President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon to India in 2012 both countries elevated their bilateral relationship to the level of Strategic Partnership. President Rahmon has visited India five times. The then Indian President Pratibha Devisingh Patil visited Tajikistan in September 2009 and the then Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee visited Tajikistan in 2003.

India and Tajikistan have had regular high level exchanges and significant progress has taken place in strengthening cooperation in strategic areas and in development partnership between both the countries. India and Tajikistan continue to work together for peace, prosperity and security in our common neighbourhood and Tajikistan is one of India’s close partners in the international arena.