(Turkmenistan.ru) - In an interview to local journalists visiting Ashgabat state minister for external affairs of India E.Ahammed called oil and gas sector the most important sphere of bilateral cooperation.
According to the minister, India has the great experience in oil and gas processing and can make significant contribution to development of this branch in Turkmenistan. After negotiations and discussion of a number of issues it can be said with confidence that if India will have an opportunity to participate in the project of construction of Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan gas pipeline, our bilateral relations would get opportunity to develop more effectively, the Indian minister noted.
Commenting on the results of work of the bilateral intergovernmental commission, the Indian minister said a great deal of attention was paid to the participation of Indian party in development of urban infrastructure. "The whole of Turkmenistan and particularly Ashgabat experience construction boom. And experience of India could be useful. Indian companies are well known all over the world. They render assistance and support to a range of countries both in the Central Asian region and in Asia, Africa and other regions of the world," the high-ranking Indian official was quoted by the official news agency TDH, reports Trend.
Education, science and technology are also priority spheres of Turkmen-Indian cooperation, the leader of Indian delegation told journalists. He said that in the course of negotiations on behalf of Indian government he made statement about intention to establish Information-technological center in Ashgabat, which would prepare young Turkmen specialists.
Some 200 Turkmen citizens have had education and training in different Indian educational establishments in the framework of the Indian government program on industrial-technical-economic cooperation. During the visit, the Turkmen leadership was informed about Indian government's decision to increase the quantity of scholarships to Turkmen boys and girls.
One of the results of talks is the agreement on opening by Turkmen aviation company of two new flights to Ahmadabad and Kochin, in addition to flights to Delhi and Amritsar.
"India and Turkmenistan has always cooperated closely and supported each other in various international forums, including United Nations Organization and other multilateral organizations. The President of Turkmenistan paid two visits to India, and we hope that the Turkmen leader will find time to visit our country one more time," the head of the Indian government delegation, state minister for external affairs E.Ahammed, said.