New Delhi, 17-18 March 2025 – Secretary General of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) Ambassador Kairat Sarybay paid a working visit to India, where he participated in the Raisina Dialogue international forum and held a series of consultations with the leadership of the Ministry of External Affairs of India, as well as representatives of relevant agencies and organizations engaged in the CICA process.
At the meeting with Secretary (West) of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs Tanmaya Lal, there was a thorough exchange of views on the growing role of CICA as an effective tool of multilateral diplomacy and the significance of its transformation into a full-fledged international organization. The Secretary General briefed his counterpart on key events in CICA's 2025 calendar, including the upcoming informal meeting of the Ministerial Council, scheduled for September in New York on the margins of the UN General Assembly. During the conversation, Ambassador Sarybay expressed his gratitude to the agency's leadership for their active participation in CICA activities and for seconding highly skilled professionals to the Secretariat.
The Secretary General held consultations with India's senior official in CICA Muanpuii Saiawi and Joint Secretary for Counter-Terrorism of the Indian MEA K. D. Dewal. The parties substantively discussed various priorities and initiatives of the current Azerbaijani Chairmanship, including the ongoing institutionalization of CICA and the strengthening of its international partnerships. Interest in enhancing cooperation with the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism was noted, and an agreement was reached to expedite work on the concept paper on interaction among CICA Member States in the area of combating terrorism, as well as on putting into practice the Plan of Action on the Implementation of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy.
During the meeting with Nitesh Kumar Mishra, Joint Secretary for Youth Affairs at the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports of India, discussions centered around prospects for enhancing youth dialogue and exchanges within the CICA framework. The parties noted the importance of volunteerism as a significant social phenomenon contributing to poverty eradication and discussed plans to hold a number of thematic events in the context of the International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development in 2026. They also considered compiling a review of best practices in volunteerism within the CICA area.
The regional agenda and the interaction of the CICA think tanks were the key topics of the Secretary General’s meeting with Nutan Kapoor Mahawar, Additional Secretary of the Indian Council for World Affairs. Ambassador Sarybay welcomed India’s intent to take a more active role in the Think Tank Forum. The Secretary General also visited the Council’s library, which houses hundreds of works on Indian diplomacy and the history of CICA Member States.
During the visit, a meeting was held with the leadership of the Confederation of Indian Industry. The Secretary General invited the Indian partners to participate in the 8th session of the CICA Business Council, scheduled for 20-21 May 2025 in Baku. Discussions focused on prospects for expanding cooperation among business communities of CICA Member States, exploring effective solutions to support small and medium enterprises, and an initiative to publish an electronic collection of best practices for SMEs within the CICA region.
To mark the visit, the Secretary General gave two interviews to local publications:
International Affairs Review: https://internationalaffairsreview.com/2025/03/24/india-plays-key-role-in-peacebuilding-in-asia-cica-chief-kairat-sarybay/
