On 16 October, the University of World Economy and Diplomacy (UWED) hosted an important meeting between the leadership and staff of the Diplomatic Academy and the Institute for Advanced International Studies (IAIS) with a delegation from the College of Defence Management (CDM) of India. This event was an important milestone in the development of bilateral co-operation in the field of education and research activities.

At the beginning of the meeting, Dr Abdusamat Khaydarov, Director of the Diplomatic Academy of UWED, welcomed the guests and presented a detailed overview of the activities, areas of training and retraining of diplomatic personnel, key projects, as well as introduced the Indian colleagues to the staff of the Academy. He emphasised the importance of training specialists capable of addressing modern challenges in the sphere of international relations.

Mr Hamza Boltaev, Head of the Centre for Afghanistan and South Asian Studies at IAIS, and Mr Fazliddin Djamalov, Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for American Studies, in turn, spoke about the research and initiatives undertaken by the Institute, including studies on security, regional cooperation and sustainable development, and the close ties with international academic partners. Mr Boltaev elaborated on the activities of the Centre he leads, noting the acute relevance of studying regional challenges and prospects for South Asia, in particular the geopolitical dynamics around the region’s key states – Afghanistan, Pakistan and India.

Addressing the participants, Commodore Prashant Dattatreya Shidhaye, a senior officer of the Indian Naval Service, spoke about the strategic initiatives of the College of Defence Management aimed at deepening cooperation with foreign educational and research institutions. He noted that co-operation with Uzbek partners will open new prospects for sharing best practices and implementing joint projects in regional security.

The Indian side, represented by Colonel Aatif Irfan Momin, Defence Attaché of the Embassy of India in Tashkent, expressed gratitude for the opportunity to exchange views and stressed the importance of strengthening bilateral relations. Representatives of the College of Defence Management noted the high quality of educational programmes and scientific research of UWED and expressed readiness to expand cooperation, especially in the context of staff development and development of joint training courses.

At the end of the meeting, the sides exchanged gratitude and memorable gifts, symbolising the aspiration of both institutions to strengthen multi-vector cooperation between Uzbekistan and India.