Uzbekistan’s Ambassador to India Sardor Mirzayusupovich Rustambaev has warmly congratulated India on achieving 7.8 per cent GDP growth, describing it as a breakthrough on the global stage amid difficult geopolitical circumstances.

He emphasised that India and Uzbekistan are not competing economies but rather complementary ones, and must grow together by supporting each other.

Speaking at a round-table discussion organised jointly by the India Central Asia Foundation and the Embassy of Uzbekistan, Rustambaev highlighted that India’s achievement was remarkable given the prevailing international environment.

He noted that Uzbekistan’s own growth figures were close to India’s, though not as high, and stressed the importance of mutual support between the two nations.

The envoy underlined the significance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent state visit to Uzbekistan, which coincided with Uzbekistan’s Independence Day. He recalled that PM Modi began his address by congratulating the Uzbek people on behalf of 1.5 billion Indians on the 35th anniversary of their independence, which also marked 15 years of the strategic partnership between the two countries.

Rustambaev described the visit as special, noting the positive atmosphere from the moment PM Modi’s aircraft landed, with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev personally receiving him at the airport.

He said the leaders held restricted discussions on key areas of interest, followed by broader talks with their delegations. He emphasised the personal rapport between the two leaders, who addressed each other as “brother”, and remarked that the relationship between the nations was not only friendly but brotherly.

On the outcomes of the visit, Rustambaev confirmed that India and Uzbekistan elevated their strategic partnership to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, opening avenues for cooperation across a wide range of sectors. He stated that this new framework would allow both sides to expand and elevate their relationship further.

Economically, the ambassador announced that the two countries have set an ambitious target of increasing bilateral trade to $5 billion by 2030, equivalent to approximately ₹41,650 crores. He asserted that the target is achievable, noting that bilateral trade has almost tripled in the past five years and doubled in the past three years, reaching $1.3 billion, or about ₹10,819 crores, for the first time.

He stressed that the current trade volume does not reflect the full potential of the two economies, pointing out that India is already among Uzbekistan’s top ten trading partners.

Rustambaev also highlighted the creation of a new oversight mechanism under which the two Foreign Ministers will regulate a wide range of bilateral issues. He explained that this mechanism would ensure systematic monitoring and coordination of matters of mutual importance.

He further noted that both sides are seeking greater alignment between their respective development strategies, with emphasis on creating synergies between Uzbekistan’s priorities and India’s national development goals. This, he said, would ensure that the partnership is not only strategic but also deeply integrated into the economic and developmental frameworks of both nations.

ANI