India and Uzbekistan have elevated their ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi announcing a landmark long-term uranium supply deal in Tashkent.

The agreement secures India’s nuclear energy future, while Uzbekistan honoured Modi with its highest civilian award, underscoring the depth of the relationship.

India has secured one of its most significant nuclear energy wins in recent years. Prime Minister Narendra Modi confirmed that India and Uzbekistan will establish a long-term uranium supply arrangement, ensuring steady fuel for India’s expanding nuclear power program.

This deal is expected to support India’s target of achieving 100 GW of nuclear capacity by 2047, while also helping build a strategic uranium reserve to prevent shortages.

The announcement came after delegation-level talks with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. Both leaders agreed to elevate bilateral ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, covering trade, investment, defence, energy, digital connectivity, education and people-to-people exchanges.

A Coordination Council at the Foreign Ministers’ level will be established to guide cooperation, while the Joint Commission will be upgraded to the Ministerial level, giving greater political weight to bilateral mechanisms.

India and Uzbekistan are also finalising three sister-city and sister-state agreements. Modi stressed that these must not remain symbolic but should deliver tangible results. He called for clear roadmaps to ensure the partnerships produce outcomes on the ground. Urban development featured prominently, with Uzbekistan’s ambitious New Tashkent project compared to Gujarat’s GIFT City. Modi invited an Uzbek delegation to India to study planning, technology and implementation models.

President Mirziyoyev described India as a reliable strategic partner and highlighted that bilateral trade crossed $1 billion last year for the first time. Joint ventures have increased sevenfold, and both sides have set a target of $5 billion in trade by 2030.

Connectivity has improved, with 14 direct flights a week now linking the two countries. Mirziyoyev also announced that Uzbekistan will remove visa requirements for Indian citizens for stays up to 30 days, a move expected to boost tourism, business travel and cultural exchanges.

Cultural ties were emphasised, with Mirziyoyev noting the role of the Lal Bahadur Shastri Centre for Indian Culture and the Mahatma Gandhi Centre for Indian Studies. Yoga has become increasingly popular in Uzbekistan, with a national federation established in 2018 and a regional festival held in June. These initiatives highlight the growing people-to-people dimension of the partnership.

The uranium deal carries strategic weight. Uzbekistan is among the world’s top five producers of natural uranium, and securing supplies from Tashkent diversifies India’s sources beyond Kazakhstan, Russia, France and Canada.

This reduces dependence on single suppliers and insulates India from geopolitical supply chain shocks. Energy cooperation also strengthens India’s footprint in Central Asia, balancing Chinese influence in the region.

During the visit, Modi was conferred with Uzbekistan’s highest civilian honour, the “Oliy Darajali Do’stlik” Order, which he dedicated to the enduring bond between the two nations.

He expressed gratitude for the warm welcome and hospitality extended by President Mirziyoyev, noting the cultural performances and symbolic gestures such as the city adorned in the colours of the Indian tricolour.

Taken together, the outcomes of the visit mark a decisive step in India-Uzbekistan relations. The uranium supply deal, visa liberalisation, expanded trade targets, and institutional upgrades all point to a partnership moving beyond symbolic gestures to concrete, strategic outcomes.

PM Modi’s visit concludes on 30 August, after which he will travel to Bishkek for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit, where India is expected to emphasise security, connectivity and cultural cooperation across Eurasia.

Agencies