Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to embark on a four-day visit to Uzbekistan and the Kyrgyz Republic from 29 August to 1 September. The visit will include a bilateral engagement in Tashkent and participation in the 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit in Bishkek.

This marks his fourth visit to Uzbekistan and his second bilateral trip to the country, undertaken at the invitation of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

During his State Visit to Tashkent, the Prime Minister will hold delegation-level talks with President Mirziyoyev. The discussions are expected to strengthen the strategic partnership between India and Uzbekistan.

The two leaders will review cooperation across trade, investment, defence, digital connectivity, energy, education and people-to-people ties. They will also deliberate on advancing shared developmental visions, namely Viksit Bharat 2047 and Uzbekistan-2030.

Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to visit the Shastri Memorial in Tashkent and the Mahatma Gandhi Centre at the Tashkent State University of Oriental Studies. His program will also include a banquet lunch hosted by President Mirziyoyev in his honour. The visit is intended to reaffirm the close and multi-faceted strategic partnership between the two nations.

India and Uzbekistan have maintained extensive and fruitful engagements over the years in both bilateral and multilateral formats. India is among Uzbekistan’s top ten trading partners, with bilateral trade and investments together close to $1 billion. Cooperation spans critical minerals, pharmaceuticals, education, information technology and healthcare.

More than 16,000 Indian students are currently studying in Uzbekistan, supported by four Indian university campuses. Major Indian investments in Uzbekistan include pharmaceuticals, amusement parks, automobile components and education.

From Tashkent, Prime Minister Modi will travel to Bishkek in the Kyrgyz Republic from 31 August to 1 September at the invitation of President Sadyr Zhaparov. He will attend the 26th SCO Summit, which coincides with the organisation’s 25th anniversary.

India has been a full member of the SCO since 2017, after holding observer status since 2005. The SCO currently comprises ten member states, along with dialogue partners and observers. The organisation was established to address terrorism, separatism and extremism, and has since expanded into broader areas of cooperation.

India has previously chaired the SCO Council of Heads of Government in 2020 and the SCO Council of Heads of State during 2022–23. Prime Minister Modi’s engagement with the SCO has been guided by the SECURE framework, which he articulated in 2018.

SECURE stands for Security, Economy and Trade, Connectivity, Unity, Respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, and Environment. More recently, at the SCO Summit in Tianjin, he highlighted Security, Connectivity and Opportunity as key elements of India’s engagement.

At the Bishkek summit, Prime Minister Modi will address SCO leaders and underline India’s priorities of security, connectivity and opportunity. He is also expected to hold bilateral meetings with leaders of SCO member states on the sidelines. Additionally, he will attend the opening ceremony of the 6th World Nomad Games, which celebrates the rich cultural heritage of Central Asia.

The four-day visit is expected to deepen India’s strategic and economic engagement with Uzbekistan and strengthen its participation in the SCO. It will also advance cooperation with Central Asian partners across security, connectivity, trade, technology, education and culture, reinforcing India’s outreach in the region.

ANI