Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia Tigran Avinyan today received Ambassador of India to Armenia Kishan Dan Dewal.

The parties discussed the current developments in regard to the North-South international transport corridor. Referring to the plan for construction of the North-South road stretching from Iran to Georgia in Armenia and the possibility of opening railway communications, Avinyan emphasized that India can view Armenia as a transport gate to Russia and Europe.

Avinyan congratulated India on becoming a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council starting in 2021.

Touching upon the situation created in the region, Avinyan noted that the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict needs to be complex and complete and must feature the issue on the status of Nagorno-Karabakh hinged on exercise of the right of the people of Artsakh to self-determination. In this context, importance was attached to India’s position according to which the conflict needs to be resolved through negotiations in the format of the Co-Chairmanship of the OSCE Minsk Group. Avinyan also set aside the speedy return of Armenian captives being kept in Azerbaijan without preconditions.

The interlocutors touched upon the existing cooperation in the defense sector and trade and economic relations. They also attached importance to the activities of the Armenian-Indian Intergovernmental Commission. In terms of capacity-building, the Armenian-Indian Center for Excellence inn ICT was indicated as a major example of India’s support to Armenia.