Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 30 announced a series of initiatives to further strengthen India-Uzbekistan ties, with a focus on preserving shared cultural heritage, promoting Hindi language studies, expanding tourism and deepening cooperation in agriculture, healthcare, defence and trade.
Addressing a joint press conference with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in Tashkent, PM Modi highlighted the deep historical and cultural links between the two countries and said greater emphasis would be placed on strengthening these ties.
The Prime Minister said India and Uzbekistan would work together to preserve and protect Buddhist heritage sites in Uzbekistan. He also stressed the importance of expanding people-to-people exchanges, particularly among students and young professionals.
As part of efforts to boost cultural and tourism cooperation, the two sides signed a programme of cooperation on tourism. PM Modi also announced scholarships to promote Hindi language studies in Uzbekistan.
Agriculture and healthcare were identified as key areas for expanding bilateral collaboration. PM Modi said Uzbekistan’s expertise in horticulture could complement India’s modern agricultural practices. He also highlighted the potential for cooperation between Uzbek medicinal herbs and India’s Ayurveda traditions in the field of traditional medicine.
The Prime Minister said India and Uzbekistan also sought to build stronger connections beyond their national capitals. Partnerships between cities and states could open new avenues for cooperation in tourism, education, culture and development.
The two countries have upgraded their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, with 2026 marking the 15th anniversary of their strategic partnership.
Defence and security cooperation will also be expanded through direct linkages between industries, co-production and co-development. PM Modi said India and Uzbekistan shared a firm commitment to zero tolerance towards terrorism, extremism and separatism.
On trade, PM Modi said bilateral commerce had crossed the USD 1 billion mark, while both sides have set a target of reaching USD 5 billion by 2030. He said greater market access, improved connectivity, stronger banking and payment links, and cooperation in infrastructure would be crucial to achieving the target.
PM Modi unveils cultural initiatives to deepen India-Uzbekistan ties
