PM Modi to Embark on Two-Nation Central Asia Tour, Visit Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's four-day diplomatic visit will focus on strengthening strategic ties, boosting regional cooperation and advancing India's priorities at the SCO Summit.
NEW DELHI, Aug 29: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday embarked on a four-day diplomatic tour of Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, seeking to deepen India’s engagement with Central Asia and strengthen cooperation in trade, investment, defence, energy, connectivity and education.
The visit, which runs from August 29 to September 1, comes as New Delhi continues to expand its strategic and economic engagement with countries in India’s extended neighbourhood.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Modi’s first stop will be Tashkent, where he will undertake a State Visit to Uzbekistan on August 29-30 at the invitation of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
This will be Modi’s fourth visit to Uzbekistan. During his stay, he is scheduled to hold delegation-level talks with Mirziyoyev, with discussions expected to cover a broad range of bilateral and regional issues.
The two sides are expected to explore new opportunities in commerce, investment, defence cooperation, digital connectivity, energy and education, while also reviewing progress in existing areas of partnership.
A key focus of the discussions will be aligning India’s long-term development priorities with Uzbekistan’s national growth plans. The two leaders are expected to identify areas of convergence between India’s Viksit Bharat 2047 vision and Uzbekistan’s Uzbekistan-2030 strategy.
The engagement is aimed at creating greater economic and developmental synergies while giving fresh momentum to the India-Uzbekistan strategic partnership.
During his stay in Tashkent, Modi will also pay homage at the Shastri Memorial. He is further scheduled to visit the Mahatma Gandhi Centre at the Tashkent State University of Oriental Studies.
Following his Uzbekistan engagements, the Prime Minister will travel to Bishkek, where he will attend the 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit on August 31 and September 1 at the invitation of Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov.
The summit assumes added significance as the SCO marks its 25th anniversary this year. India became a full member of the regional grouping in 2017 and has since played an active role in discussions concerning regional security, connectivity, economic cooperation and development.
In his address at the summit, Modi is expected to highlight India’s priorities centred on Security, Connectivity and Opportunity. These themes are likely to shape New Delhi’s approach towards greater cooperation among SCO members.
Besides participating in the main summit sessions, Modi is expected to hold bilateral meetings with other leaders on the sidelines of the gathering, providing an opportunity to discuss issues of mutual and regional interest.
The Prime Minister will also attend the opening ceremony of the sixth World Nomad Games in Kyrgyzstan. The event showcases the traditional sports, culture and heritage of nomadic communities from Central Asia and other participating countries.
The two-nation tour reflects India’s broader efforts to reinforce its presence in Central Asia through stronger political engagement, economic partnerships and people-to-people connections.
The visit is also expected to provide an opportunity for India to advance cooperation on regional security and connectivity while strengthening its ties with key Central Asian partners.
