Tashkent, August 30: Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasized that Uzbekistan plays a crucial role in India’s relationship with Central Asia. He noted a deep alignment in aspirations and thoughts between the two nations.
During a joint press conference with Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in Tashkent, PM Modi stated that India and Uzbekistan will enhance direct contact, joint production, and collaborative development in their defense industries in the future.
He remarked, “Uzbekistan is at the heart of Central Asia and serves as the focal point for India’s engagement in the region. There is a profound similarity in the aspirations and thoughts of both countries. Youth, innovation, inclusive development, and modern technology are central to ‘Yangi Uzbekistan’ and ‘Developed India 2047.’ We are continuously working for the welfare of our peoples based on this shared vision.”
PM Modi expressed gratitude to President Mirziyoyev and the people of Uzbekistan for their warm welcome extended to him and his delegation. He praised the President’s friendship and commitment towards India.
“I sincerely thank the President and the people of Uzbekistan for the warm and affectionate welcome extended to me and my delegation in Tashkent. This is my fourth visit to Uzbekistan; it reflects our close ties, coordination, and deep friendship. I have had the privilege of working with the President for nearly a decade, meeting him more than ten times during this period. His positivity, visionary thinking, and constant desire to learn something new are truly inspiring. I genuinely appreciate his deep friendship and unwavering commitment to India,” he said.
PM Modi also highlighted that both nations share a common resolve for zero tolerance against terrorism, extremism, and separatism.
He stated, “Close cooperation in defense and security between our two countries reflects our deep mutual trust. In the future, we will promote direct contact, joint production, and collaborative development in our defense industries. We believe that terrorism, extremism, and separatism pose significant challenges to the entire region. Our shared resolve for zero tolerance against these three issues is firm.”
PM Modi noted that 2026 marks the 15th anniversary of their strategic partnership, and both sides have decided to elevate this relationship to a ‘Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.’ He mentioned that bilateral trade has surpassed $1 billion, with a target to reach $5 billion by 2030. “To achieve this, we will advance in areas like market access, connectivity, banking, and payments. In infrastructure development, we will work together to create beneficial cooperation for both countries.”
He further added, “The agreements made today on traditional medicine will strengthen our joint efforts. Our goal is to ensure that our partnership is not limited to just the capitals; therefore, we are also establishing partnerships between our cities and states. These partnerships will enhance direct contact in urban management, industry, education, tourism, and culture.”
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