Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Uzbekistan on August 29 has opened a four-day Central Asia trip.
During the Tashkent leg, running August 29-30, PM Modi will hold delegation-level talks with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev aimed at strengthening bilateral ties.
The discussions are expected to span trade, investment, defence, digital connectivity, healthcare, energy and education, alongside critical minerals, pharmaceuticals and space cooperation.
From Tashkent, PM Modi will travel to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, from August 31 to September 1 to attend the 26th SCO Summit, marking the bloc’s 25th anniversary.
India is expected to focus on security, connectivity and economic opportunity at the summit, which will also be attended by Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
This marks PM Modi’s fourth visit to Uzbekistan, reflecting the sustained diplomatic engagement between New Delhi and Tashkent over the past decade.
The visit will include delegation-level talks with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, covering trade, investment, defence, digital connectivity, healthcare, energy, education and technology cooperation.
Officials expect discussions to also touch on critical minerals, pharmaceuticals and space cooperation, areas both countries have flagged as priorities for expanding the relationship.
PM Modi is scheduled to visit the Lal Bahadur Shastri memorial and the Mahatma Gandhi Centre at Tashkent State University as part of the cultural component of the trip.
India and Uzbekistan elevated their ties to a Strategic Partnership in 2011, with bilateral trade and investment between the two countries now close to $1 billion.
From Tashkent, the Prime Minister will travel to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, for the 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit, marking the bloc’s 25th anniversary.
India’s priority themes at the SCO Summit are expected to centre on security, connectivity and economic opportunity, with counter-terrorism and regional cooperation also on the agenda.
The Bishkek leg is expected to draw a wide roster of leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin, alongside representatives from other SCO member states.
Official portrait of PM Narendra Modi, Wikimedia Commons, GODL-India
