New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Tashkent on Saturday for a two-day State Visit aimed at deepening India’s strategic partnership with Uzbekistan across trade, investment, digital connectivity, defence and energy.
Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev received the Prime Minister at the airport. The two leaders travelled together from the airport before visiting Yangi Uzbekistan Park, where Modi laid a wreath at the Independence Monument.
The visit, Modi’s fourth to Uzbekistan, includes delegation-level talks with Mirziyoyev. The discussions are expected to review the progress of bilateral cooperation and identify new areas where government agencies and businesses can translate political ties into projects and commercial outcomes.
Trade and investment are central to the agenda. India and Uzbekistan have sought to expand economic engagement in pharmaceuticals, information technology, agriculture, energy and connectivity, but the landlocked geography of Central Asia makes efficient transport corridors and customs arrangements important for sustained growth.
Digital connectivity is another priority. India’s experience in digital public infrastructure and technology-enabled public services offers scope for institutional cooperation, training and commercial partnerships. Any new initiative would require mutually agreed implementation plans and local adaptation.
Defence relations have developed through professional exchanges and the DUSTLIK joint military exercise. A Joint Working Group on Defence was established in 2019, and the seventh edition of DUSTLIK was conducted in Uzbekistan in April 2026. The current visit gives both sides an opportunity to review that cooperation alongside wider regional security concerns.
Energy engagement is also expected to figure in the talks. Central Asia has substantial natural resources, while India is seeking diversified and reliable partnerships. Commercial viability, transportation and long-term contracts will determine the practical scope of any new energy arrangement.
The Prime Minister is scheduled to visit the Shastri Memorial and the Mahatma Gandhi Centre at the Tashkent State University of Oriental Studies. These engagements reflect the historical and cultural component of the relationship, including India’s association with former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, who died in Tashkent in 1966.
After completing the Uzbekistan visit, Modi will travel to Bishkek at the invitation of Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov. He will participate in the 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit, which marks 25 years of the grouping. India has been a full member of the SCO since 2017.
India’s stated approach to the region is centred on security, connectivity and opportunity. At the summit, New Delhi is expected to emphasise cooperation against terrorism, separatism and extremism while supporting practical connectivity that respects sovereignty and national interests.
Modi is also expected to meet President Zhaparov and other SCO leaders and attend the opening ceremony of the sixth World Nomad Games. The Central Asia tour will continue until September 1.
The immediate focus in Tashkent is on the bilateral talks and any decisions or agreements announced after them. Their substance will show how the two countries intend to move from broad strategic convergence to measurable cooperation in trade, technology, defence, energy and people-to-people contacts.
