New Delhi, April 9 (IANS): India and Turkmenistan held consultations on bilateral, regional and global issues during the fifth Inter-Governmental Joint Commission meeting, as visiting External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj held talks with the country's leadership at Ashgabat.

According to tweets by external affairs ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin: "Turkmenistan welcomes India's participation in its petrochemical sector, including fertilizer production. Supports OVL opening rep office."

"India - Turkmenistan consultations on bilateral regional & global issues led by @SushmaSwaraj and FM Rashid Meredov."

He also posted: "President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov receiving EAM @SushmaSwaraj at Presidential Palace Ashgabat."

The spokesperson wrote that India will provide further support to Turkmenistan "in HRD in IT, industrial training, hydrocarbon, and petrochemical sectors".

President Berdimuhamedov told Sushma Swaraj that he was "committed to deepening India-Turkmenistan ties".

He also said work on the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India pipeline would begin this year, the spokesperson tweeted.

Both sides held a "comprehensive review of India-Turkmenistan bilateral cooperation at the 5th session of IGC", which was co-chaired by Sushma Swaraj and her Turkmenistan counterpart Meredov.

Students of Hindi at Azadi Institute also interacted with Sushma Swaraj in Ashgabat.