India and Tajikistan today agreed that nations in the region and the international community should work towards strengthening Afghanistan's capacity to maintain peace, stability and prosperity of the Afghan people.

In a one to one meeting held between Vice President Hamid Ansari and Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon at Dushanbe this morning and in the delegation level talks that followed, the two leaders exchanged views on maintaining regional peace and security in the backdrop of the situation in Afghanistan, which is of prime importance.

Cooperation on security issues and countering cross border terrorism were discussed by the two leaders. Our correspondent Sant Bahadur covering the visit reports both countries also agreed to strengthen cooperation in energy sector, IT, health, education and for the establisment of small and micro industries in Tajiskitan.

India also welcomed Tajikistan on becoming the 159th Member of the World Trade Organisation. Mr. Ansari said, deeper global integration of the Tajik economy will be beneficial and enhance bilateral trade and economic cooperation with India.

AIR correspondent reports, Mr. Ansari, on a four-day goodwill visit to Tajikistan, is the first Indian Vice-President to visit the central Asian country. Ansari's visit is a part of India's connect Central Asia policy, unveiled last year, aimed at greater political, economic and people-to-people engagement with Central Asian nations like Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.