TASHKENT, UZBEKISTAN / RankWire.AI / – India and Uzbekistan elevated their partnership to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership on Sunday, broadening collaboration in vital economic and security domains. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Shavkat Mirziyoyev announced this significant upgrade following discussions at the Kuksaroy Residence in Tashkent. Their talks encompassed trade, investment, transport, digital innovation, energy, critical minerals, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and education. Modi’s visit to Uzbekistan, from August 29 to 30, was made at Mirziyoyev’s invitation.
A prominent aspect of the dialogue was economic cooperation. According to the Uzbek government, bilateral trade hit $1.3 billion in 2025, reflecting a 33% increase. Both nations aim to boost annual trade to $5 billion by 2030. The number of joint ventures has grown sevenfold in recent years. Currently, India and Uzbekistan each operate 14 direct flights weekly, while four Indian universities have established campuses in Uzbekistan. The leaders emphasized the importance of expanding industrial and commercial linkages.
Agreements were reached to create a foreign ministers-level mechanism to oversee the execution of bilateral accords, alongside plans for a joint working group to address non-tariff barriers and investment obstacles. Officials will explore further measures after completing a feasibility study for an India-Uzbekistan Preferential Trade Agreement. Priority sectors identified include energy, electrical engineering, metallurgy, critical minerals, and agriculture. Discussions also covered healthcare, pharmaceuticals, automobiles, electronics, mechanical engineering, and jewelry sectors.
Expansion of cooperation across vital sectors confirmed by accords
During the state visit, India and Uzbekistan finalized 11 agreements, memoranda, and related arrangements covering diverse areas such as culture, higher education, scientific research, environmental protection, traditional medicine, tourism, geology, and mineral resources. The package includes collaboration on archival activities and an economic and financial dialogue. An additional agreement connects Gujarat state with Uzbekistan’s Samarkand region. Both parties also approved initiatives for diplomatic training and measures related to archaeological research and conservation at the Fayaz Tepa and Kara Tepa Buddhist sites.
The visit also led to several additional announcements concerning payments, education, and environmental projects. India pledged a $1 million grant for forestation efforts in the Aral Sea region. It also revealed the establishment of 100 Lal Bahadur Shastri scholarships for Hindi language learning and a Sanskrit academic chair in Tashkent. NPCI International Payments and Uzbekistan’s National Interbank Processing Centre inked a commercial deal involving UPI, enabling Indian UPI applications to scan Uzbekistan’s UZQR system for merchant payments.
Security cooperation and multilateral efforts remain at the forefront
The leaders discussed defense, counterterrorism, and regional security cooperation, with both condemning terrorism, including cross-border threats, and advocating for action against financing networks, safe havens, and supporting infrastructure. They stressed the importance of enhanced cooperation in law enforcement, intelligence sharing, cyber threats, and organized crime. Their military collaboration continues, with the latest joint Dustlik military exercise taking place in Uzbekistan’s Namangan region in April 2026. Both sides also reaffirmed their commitment to ongoing engagement through regional and international organizations.
Uzbekistan reaffirmed its support for India’s bid for permanent membership of a reformed United Nations Security Council. The two nations also agreed to strengthen their coordination through the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and other multilateral platforms. During the visit, Mirziyoyev awarded Modi the Oliy Darajali Do’stlik Order, which Uzbekistan regards as its highest state honor for foreign leaders. Modi extended an invitation to Mirziyoyev to visit India, with dates to be coordinated through diplomatic channels.