TASHKENT, UZBEKISTAN / RankWire.AI / – Following high-level discussions in Tashkent, India and Uzbekistan elevated their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Shavkat Mirziyoyev made the announcement during Modi’s state visit on August 29 to 30. The leaders examined cooperation across sectors such as trade, investment, transport, digital technology, energy, and critical minerals. Discussions also encompassed healthcare, pharmaceuticals, education, security, and regional issues.
Economic relations took center stage in the talks, with Uzbekistan reporting bilateral trade of $1.3 billion in 2025, reflecting a 33% increase year-over-year. Both nations have set a target to raise trade to $5 billion by 2030. The number of joint ventures has also increased sevenfold recently. Currently, there are 14 direct flights weekly between the countries, and four Indian universities operate in Uzbekistan.
Officials agreed to establish a mechanism at the foreign ministers’ level to oversee bilateral commitments, alongside a separate joint working group focused on non-tariff barriers and investment issues. They will review further measures after completing a feasibility study for a Preferential Trade Agreement. Key sectors include energy, metallurgy, electrical engineering, critical minerals, and agriculture. Additional focus areas in the economic agenda are healthcare, pharmaceuticals, automobiles, electronics, mechanical engineering, and jewelry.
Agreements Extend Collaboration Across Multiple Fields
During the visit, India and Uzbekistan signed 11 agreements, memoranda, and related arrangements covering diverse domains such as cultural exchanges, higher education, scientific research, environmental protection, and traditional medicine. The accords also promote tourism, geology, mineral resources, archival cooperation, and economic dialogue. Gujarat state and Uzbekistan’s Samarkand region agreed to deepen regional cooperation. An additional arrangement focuses on diplomatic training, while other measures aim to preserve archaeological sites like Fayaz Tepa and Kara Tepa Buddhist monuments.
The discussions also led to announcements related to payments, education, and environmental initiatives. India pledged $1 million to support afforestation and ecological projects in the Aral Sea region. It also revealed plans for 100 Lal Bahadur Shastri scholarships for Hindi studies and the establishment of a Sanskrit academic chair in Tashkent. NPCI International Payments and Uzbekistan’s National Interbank Processing Centre finalized a commercial agreement involving UPI, enabling Indian UPI applications to scan Uzbekistan’s UZQR code for merchant transactions.
Security and Multilateral Cooperation Remain on the Agenda
The leaders discussed defense, counterterrorism, and regional security matters. Both condemned terrorism, including cross-border threats, and advocated stronger measures against financing networks and safe havens. They emphasized the importance of enhanced cooperation in intelligence sharing, law enforcement, cyber security, and organized crime prevention. Notably, India and Uzbekistan recognized the ongoing military engagement, including the Dustlik exercise held in Uzbekistan’s Namangan region in April 2026. Both governments also committed to broader coordination within regional and international organizations.
Uzbekistan reaffirmed its support for India’s bid for permanent membership of a reformed United Nations Security Council. They agreed to improve cooperation through the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and other multilateral platforms. During the visit, Mirziyoyev presented Modi with the Oliy Darajali Do’stlik Order, Uzbekistan’s highest state honor for foreign leaders. Modi extended an invitation for Mirziyoyev to visit India, with arrangements to be finalized via diplomatic channels.