Overview

• At the fourth India-Central Asia Dialogue in New Delhi, foreign ministers from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan joined India in a joint statement backing collaborative exploration of rare earth and critical minerals.
• The ministers urged a second India-Central Asia Rare Earth Forum to convene soon to map the region’s untapped reserves in the Tien Shan and Pamir mountain ranges.
• India committed to help partners build Digital Public Infrastructure and to launch an India-Central Asia Digital Partnership Forum, with Uzbekistan set to host the inaugural meeting.
• New Delhi plans to offer production-based fiscal incentives to strengthen domestic manufacturing of rare earth materials and reduce reliance on China’s dominant refining sector.
• Officials highlighted plans to deepen financial integration through digital payment systems, enhanced interbank relations and trade in national currencies to support long-term cooperation.