On July 4 the Foreign Minister of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan received the Secretary for West of the Ministry of External Affairs of India Sanjay Verma who is in Armenia to participate in the 8th session of the Armenian-Indian Intergovernmental Commission on Cooperation in the Fields of Trade, Economy, Technology, Science, Education and Culture․

Minister Mirzoyan stressed that after six years the holding of the session of the Armenian-Indian Intergovernmental Commission is an important demonstration of positive dynamic of development in the relations between two countries and a good opportunity for exchanging views on the current situation and recorded achievements, as well as for discussing the prospects of bilateral cooperation.

The MFA of Armenia stressed that the consistent development of the relations with the world's biggest democracy- India is one of the priorities of Armenian foreign policy, as evidenced by the recent activation of high-level mutual visits and the effective implementation of agreements reached on the expansion of cooperation in a number of fields.

The interlocutors commended the efforts towards the promotion of cooperation in various directions, including trade and economy, high technology, education, agriculture and health. The continuous strengthening of business to business contacts and the creation of attractive conditions for the promotion of investments were highlighted.

The sides discussed the prospects of cooperation in the implementation of regional transport communication projects, in particular, within the framework of the "North-South" international transport corridor project, the Chabahar port, as well as the "Persian Gulf-Black Sea" international transport corridor.

They exchanged views on the further strengthening of cooperation within the framework of international organizations.

Reference was also made to regional and international security issues. Ararat Mirzoyan presented the situation in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone, as well as the position of Armenia regarding the processes aimed at establishing stability and peace in the region.

The Foreign Minister of Armenia emphasized the mediating role of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship in achieving a comprehensive and lasting resolution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and commended the position of the Indian side in support to the of peaceful settlement under the mandate of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship.

Ararat Mirzoyan reiterated Armenia’s support to India in the issues of Jammu and Kashmir.

After the tête-à-tête conversation, the 8th session of the Armenian-Indian Intergovernmental Commission on Cooperation in the Fields of Trade, Economy, Technology, Science, Education and Culture was held, co-chaired by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan and the Secretary of the Western Direction of the Ministry of External Affairs of the Republic of India Sanjay Verma, which was launched by the opening remarks by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia.

From the Armenian side, First Deputy Minister of High-Tech Industry Gevorg Mantashyan, First Deputy Minister of Health Lena Nanushyan, Deputy Minister of Economy Armen Arzumanyan, Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Zhanna Andreasyan, Deputy Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Hovhannes Harutyunan and Deputy Minister of Emergency Situations Davit Hambaryan participated in the session.

During the meeting, the sides discussed in detail the prospects of further deepening of cooperation in the fields of economy, information and high technologies, healthcare, education, culture, transport, infrastructure and community development, and emergency situations. Agreements were reached on further works.

At the end of the session, Ararat Mirzoyan and Sanjay Verma signed The Agreed Minutes of the IGC 8th Session of the Armenian-Indian Intergovernmental Commission. In addition, the Minister of Finance of Armenia Tigran Khachatryan and the Ambassador of India to Armenia Kishan Dan Deval signed the Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the Republic of Armenia and the Government of the Republic of India regarding Indian Grant Assistance for Implementation of High Impact Community Development Projects.