New Delhi: The prime minister, Narendra Modi, will undertake a four-day visit to Uzbekistan and the Kyrgyz Republic from August 29 to September 1. The trip will combine bilateral talks in Tashkent with India’s participation in the 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Bishkek.
Modi will begin the visit in Tashkent, where he will hold delegation-level talks with the Uzbek president, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, on Saturday and Sunday. This will be Modi’s fourth visit to Uzbekistan and his second bilateral visit to the country, according to reports.
Sibi George, secretary (west) at the Ministry of External Affairs, said the visit is being undertaken at Mirziyoyev’s invitation. He said the talks would cover trade and investment, defence, digital connectivity, energy, education and people-to-people ties.
The two leaders are also expected to discuss their respective long-term development visions, Viksit Bharat 2047 and Uzbekistan-2030. Economic cooperation is expected to be an important part of the discussions.
India is among Uzbekistan’s top 10 trading partners, and bilateral trade and investment between the two countries stand close to $1bn, George said. Existing cooperation spans critical minerals, pharmaceuticals, education, information technology and healthcare.
The agenda is also expected to expand into newer areas, including space, technology, business-to-business cooperation and healthcare. Major Indian investments in Uzbekistan are spread across pharmaceuticals, amusement parks, automobile components and education.
More than 16,000 Indian students are currently studying in Uzbekistan, and four Indian university campuses have been established in the country. According to a report by the Times of India, Modi is also expected to visit the Shastri Memorial in Tashkent and the Mahatma Gandhi Centre at the Tashkent State University of Oriental Studies.
From Tashkent, Modi will travel to Bishkek in the Kyrgyz Republic from August 31 to September 1. He will attend the 26th SCO summit at the invitation of the Kyrgyz president, Sadyr Zhaparov, India’s foreign ministry said.
The summit comes as the SCO marks the 25th anniversary of its establishment. India became a full member of the grouping in 2017, after holding observer status since 2005, and the organization currently has 10 member states besides its dialogue partners and observers.
At Bishkek, Modi is expected to underline India’s priorities of security, connectivity and opportunity in his address to SCO leaders. He is also expected to hold bilateral meetings with leaders of member states on the sidelines of the summit.
India’s engagement with the SCO has been guided by the “SECURE” framework Modi outlined in 2018 — security, economy and trade, connectivity, unity, respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, and environment.
The Bishkek programme will also include the opening ceremony of the sixth World Nomad Games, which highlights the cultural heritage of Central Asia.