India to work closely with other Central Asian countries on cultural exchanges: G Kishan Reddy

New Delhi [India], April 3 : Union Culture Minister G Kishan Reddy on Monday said India has decided to work closely with other Central Asian countries on cultural exchanges and to strengthen age-old cultural linkages to bind the people of the region together.

It has been decided that the participating countries will orgze a culture program of one country in another, to showcase the culture of all the countries together.

The minister on Monday virtually hosted the first India-Central Asia Culture Ministers' Meeting.

"This was the first meeting. In the coming days, we have decided to work closely with other central Asian countries on cultural issues. Have decided to meet regularly," the minister told .

The minister said that last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said all countries of Central Asia should work closely and with cooperation on every subject.

"Based on the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the first meeting of the Central Asia culture ministers has come to an end. All the ministers have given various suggestions with enthusiasm to work together on this culture exchange, to orgze a culture program of one country in another, to showcase the culture of all the countries together. A draft statement was also circulated by the Central office," Reddy said.

The meeting also saw the participation of the Culture Ministers of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, according to a release issued by the Ministry of Culture.

According to the release, the India-Central Asia Summit hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in January last year laid emphasis on promoting cultural cooperation for better understanding of culture between the Central Asian countries and strengthening age-old cultural linkages which bind our people together.

The meeting, today, followed the resolution of the Leaders to promote cultural cooperation for better understanding of culture between the Central Asian countries and strengthening age-old cultural linkages of the region.

The ministers presented their perspective to take forward their leaders' commitment for further strengthening of cultural cooperation in the region.

At the end of the meeting, the Indian side proposed a Joint Statement in testimony to the first India-Central Asia Culture Ministers Meeting. The participants agreed to convey their consent at the earliest to acknowledge the meeting and its continuance at regular intervals, according to the official press release.