Thaindian News

New Delhi, July 3 (IANS) Continuing with India’s policy of stepping up military and economic ties with central Asian republics, Defence Minister A.K. Antony will be on a two-day visit to Kyrgyzstan beginning Monday when he will inaugurate a mountain biomedical research centre, jointly developed by DRDO and Kyrghyz scientists.

“The defence minister leaves New Delhi tomorrow on a two-day official visit to Kyrgyzstan. The visit aims at giving a further boost to the bilateral ties of India with the central Asian republics on a wide range of areas,” a defence ministry release said here Sunday.

Shortly after his arrival in capital Bishkek, Antony will hold talks with his Kyrghyz counterpart Abibilla Kudayberdiev, when the two sides will discuss regional security issues, particularly terrorism emanating from the South Asian region.

He will also hold talks with top Kyrghyz leadership including President Dr. Roza Otunbayeva, Foreign Affairs Minister Kazakbayev Ruslan Aytbaevich and Health Minister Dr. Sabyrbek Jumabekov.

For the talks, Antony will be leading a high level defence delegation that will include Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) chief V.K. Saraswat, Special Secretary R.K. Mathur, Defence Finance Secretary Vijay Lakshmi Gupta and DRDO chief controller of research and development Dr. William Selvamurthy.

“One of the highlights during Antony’s brief stay in Bishkek will be his participation in the inauguration of the unique Kyrghyz-Indian Mountain Biomedical Research Centre, jointly established by the DRDO and the National Centre of Cardiology and Internal Medicine, Kyrghyz Republic, for pursuing studies on high altitude acclimatisation, including amelioration of high altitude maladies. DRDO has contributed Rs.6 crore for the project,” the release said.