- Trade target set at $5 billion by 2030 as India and Uzbekistan unlock new opportunities in investment, industry and supply chains
- Partnership expands into ai, digital public infrastructure, space, critical minerals, nuclear energy and pharmaceuticals
- New foreign ministers-led mechanism, ministerial-level economic commission to drive implementation of bilateral projects
- Defence and counter-terrorism cooperation deepened as both sides back connectivity, food security, healthcare and human capital
- Uzbekistan supports India’s permanent UN Security Council bid; New Delhi pledges $1-million aral sea ecological initiative
NE NEWS SERVICE
NEW DELHI, AUG 30
A relationship forged across centuries of trade, culture and civilisational exchange has now acquired the architecture of a future-facing strategic partnership—with India and Uzbekistan placing technology, trade, energy, security and human development at the heart of a new bilateral growth story.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s State visit to Uzbekistan has culminated in a significant upgrade of bilateral ties, with the two countries deciding to elevate their Strategic Partnership to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, setting an ambitious USD 5-billion bilateral trade target by 2030 and agreeing on mechanisms to translate political understanding into concrete projects.
The visit also carried a deeply symbolic dimension: Uzbekistan conferred its highest honour for foreign leaders, the “Oliy Darajali Do’stlik” Order (Order of Highest Friendship), on Modi for his contribution to strengthening friendship between the two countries.
Accepting the honour, Modi dedicated the accolade to the 1.4 billion people of India, describing it as a symbol of the enduring friendship between the two countries and their civilisations. He said the appreciation expressed by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev was a tribute to the age-old India-Uzbekistan friendship and shared heritage.
Modi also underlined that the honour brought “added responsibility” for India to work with Uzbekistan as partners of the Global South for the betterment of humanity.
The transformation of the relationship from a Strategic Partnership into a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership is expected to widen cooperation across virtually every major sector—from trade and investment to AI, space, critical minerals, pharmaceuticals, agriculture and transport connectivity.
$5 billion trade target puts business at the centre of the new partnership
At the core of the new framework is an ambitious economic agenda.
The two leaders agreed to work towards raising bilateral trade to USD 5 billion by 2030, while calling for a Business Summit to deepen economic and investment linkages.
Both sides acknowledged considerable untapped potential and agreed to diversify the basket of goods, remove non-tariff barriers and strengthen industrial cooperation.
A Joint Working Group will address non-tariff issues and investment barriers, while India’s Invest India and Uzbekistan’s Investment Promotion Agency will explore greater collaboration to identify investment opportunities, organise business forums and roadshows and facilitate two-way investment flows.
The two countries identified electrical goods, engineering products, automobiles and pharmaceuticals as sectors with substantial potential for closer business-to-business cooperation.
They also agreed to leverage complementarities between the two economies and strengthen value-added supply chains.
Recalling the conclusion of the Joint Feasibility Study on a Preferential Trade Agreement, the leaders directed their respective ministries to explore the next steps on a time-bound basis.
The economic roadmap also covers e-commerce, digitalisation of trade procedures and digital platforms designed to help small and medium enterprises participate more effectively in bilateral commerce.
AI, UPI, space and digital infrastructure join the strategic agenda
The new Comprehensive Strategic Partnership moves well beyond conventional economic diplomacy.
The leaders agreed to deepen cooperation in artificial intelligence, digital transformation, cybersecurity, space and innovation, with particular emphasis on developing safe, secure and trustworthy AI systems.
The successful operation of the first IT Park in Tashkent, established in 2019 on the Indian model with support from the Software Technology Parks of India, was welcomed as a successful example of technology cooperation.
India and Uzbekistan agreed to expand partnerships among technology parks, startups, companies and educational institutions.
The two sides also welcomed the implementation of understandings reached during the India AI Impact Summit in February 2026.
Digital public infrastructure and UPI figured prominently in Modi’s discussions with Mirziyoyev, signalling an effort to take India’s digital transformation experience into wider bilateral cooperation.
Space cooperation is also set for expansion, covering space applications, scientific data exchange, joint workshops and training.
Critical minerals, uranium and energy security add strategic weight
Energy and natural resources have emerged as another crucial pillar of the upgraded relationship.
The leaders agreed to explore cooperation in geology, mining, nuclear energy, critical and strategic minerals, mineral processing, value-added production and recycling.
They expressed interest in encouraging Indian companies to participate in the development of prospective mineral deposits in Uzbekistan, while Uzbek enterprises could explore joint opportunities in India.
Modi appreciated progress on the long-term arrangement for supply of uranium from Uzbekistan to India and stressed the importance of strengthening cooperation in critical minerals.
The two countries also agreed to develop integrated critical-mineral value chains spanning geological exploration, mining and processing.
Cooperation in renewable energy, energy infrastructure modernisation and prospective investment projects will also be expanded.
The convergence of energy security and critical-mineral cooperation gives the new partnership an important economic and strategic dimension at a time when global supply chains are being reshaped.
Security cooperation deepens from Dustlik to counter-terrorism
The two countries have simultaneously reinforced the security foundations of their relationship.
India and Uzbekistan unequivocally condemned terrorism, including cross-border terrorism, in all its forms and manifestations, reaffirming a zero-tolerance approach.
They called for concerted action against terrorist entities and efforts to disrupt terrorist financing networks, safe havens and infrastructure.
The leaders also stressed stronger cooperation in law enforcement, intelligence-sharing, countering violent extremism, combating illicit drug trafficking, organised crime and cyber threats.
Defence cooperation is expanding through institutional mechanisms, capacity-building, regular exchanges and joint activities.
Both sides welcomed the work of the Joint Working Group on Military Cooperation and noted new opportunities in the defence-industrial sector.
The successful conduct of the Uzbekistan-India Joint Military Exercise “Dustlik”, the latest edition of which was held in Namangan Region in April 2026, was also welcomed.
The leaders agreed to continue strengthening cooperation within the Central Asia-India framework amid the growing strategic importance of the region.
New connectivity corridors to link markets and value chains
Recognising that trade ambitions require reliable connectivity, India and Uzbekistan reaffirmed their commitment to developing multimodal transport routes and logistics corridors.
The objective is to facilitate smoother movement of goods, reduce transportation costs and strengthen supply-chain connectivity between the two economies.
Both sides will exchange expertise in advanced road-construction technologies and explore joint projects for reconstructing and modernising road infrastructure.
They also agreed to examine environmentally friendly and energy-efficient solutions for Uzbekistan’s public transport sector.
The connectivity agenda is expected to complement the broader effort to expand trade and give businesses greater access to markets across Central Asia and beyond.
Pharma, healthcare and education to build human capital
The new partnership also puts considerable emphasis on people.
India and Uzbekistan recognised the contribution of Indian students to bilateral people-to-people ties and welcomed the continued expansion of India studies in Uzbekistan and Uzbek studies in India.
More than 2,700 Uzbek nationals have participated in India’s ITEC programme, while more than 400 Uzbek students have received ICCR scholarships, including AYUSH scholarships.
India has also announced a Lal Bahadur Shastri Scholarship for Hindi language for Uzbek students.
Healthcare and pharmaceuticals are emerging as particularly promising areas of cooperation, with both sides seeking to leverage their respective strengths in biomedical research, medical innovation, advanced treatments and therapies.
The leaders welcomed the potential of the Tashkent Pharma Park Innovative Scientific and Industrial Pharmaceutical Cluster to attract investment, localise production, facilitate technology transfer and create skilled employment.
They also supported establishing new medical centres, laboratories, research institutions and joint pharmaceutical manufacturing enterprises in Uzbekistan in cooperation with Indian companies.
$1 million for Aral Sea restoration: green partnership takes root
The partnership is also acquiring a distinctly green dimension.
India and Uzbekistan have drawn parallels between Uzbekistan’s “Yashil Makon” initiative and India’s “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” campaign.
Building on this convergence, India will support ecological rehabilitation and greening efforts in the Aral Sea region through a USD 1-million grant under India’s Grant-in-Aid framework, along with technical assistance.
The two leaders also jointly planted a tree in the Palace garden.
The agreement demonstrates how bilateral cooperation is moving beyond conventional diplomacy into shared responses to environmental and ecological challenges.
Culture, heritage, yoga and tourism keep civilisational bridge alive
While the new partnership is strongly future-oriented, its foundation remains deeply historical.
India and Uzbekistan recognised their centuries-old cultural and civilisational connections and agreed to expand cultural exchanges through festivals, exhibitions, artistic performances and institutional linkages.
The two sides welcomed the Cultural Exchange Programme for 2026-2030 and cooperation in the field of archives.
They also agreed to strengthen collaboration in preserving and restoring World Heritage sites, including through digital technologies and 3D modelling.
A Letter of Intent has been concluded for the conservation and restoration of the ancient Buddhist sites of Fayaz Tepa and Kara Tepa.
Yoga, meanwhile, continues to serve as a living bridge between the two peoples. The leaders welcomed cooperation between the Yoga Federation of Uzbekistan and India’s Ministry of AYUSH, including instructor training and participation in international Yogasana competitions.
Sports cooperation will also be expanded, particularly in badminton, archery and chess.
Uzbekistan backs India’s UN Security Council bid
The strategic partnership also carries significant multilateral implications.
Both leaders reaffirmed the central role of the United Nations in maintaining international peace and security and called for comprehensive UN reform, including reform of the Security Council.
Uzbekistan reaffirmed its support for India’s candidature for permanent membership of the UN Security Council.
The two countries also committed to closer coordination in international forums to advance the common interests of the Global South.
Cooperation within the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation will be further strengthened, while Uzbekistan’s interest in joining the International Big Cat Alliance and International Solar Alliance was welcomed by India.
President Mirziyoyev congratulated India on its BRICS Chairship in 2026, while Modi expressed confidence in Uzbekistan’s successful Chairship of the Non-Aligned Movement for 2027-2030.
A new architecture for an old friendship
The two-day State visit from August 29-30 has thus produced more than ceremonial warmth. It has created an institutional and economic roadmap for a relationship that combines ancient civilisational familiarity with contemporary strategic interests.
The creation of a Foreign Ministers-led mechanism will provide high-level coordination and oversight for implementing bilateral agreements, while the Inter-Governmental Commission will be raised to the ministerial level.
The leaders also agreed to review and modernise the existing legal framework governing bilateral cooperation.
The joint statement captures the ambition of the new phase: India and Uzbekistan intend to build long-term, mutually beneficial cooperation spanning trade, investment, connectivity, digital transformation, energy, critical minerals, food security, healthcare, pharmaceuticals and education.
For India, the partnership offers expanded access to Central Asian markets, energy and critical-mineral resources, while Uzbekistan stands to benefit from Indian technology, investment, pharmaceuticals, healthcare expertise, digital solutions, education and capacity-building.
The upgraded relationship therefore represents a two-way proposition—Uzbekistan opening new economic and strategic opportunities for India, and India bringing technology, investment, skills and institutional experience to Uzbekistan.
As Modi accepted Uzbekistan’s highest honour and dedicated it to India’s 1.4 billion people, the symbolism was unmistakable: an old friendship has been given a new strategic architecture—and both nations are now looking to turn shared history into shared prosperity.
