Highlights:
– PM Modi begins two-nation visit to Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan today.
– First stop Tashkent for bilateral talks with President Mirziyoyev.
– Will attend 26th SCO Summit in Bishkek on invitation of President Japarov.
– PM vows India will keep working with SCO nations against terror, separatism, extremism.
Peerzada Masarat Shah
New Delhi, Aug 29 (BuzzBytes): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday began a four-day visit to Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, a trip billed by the government as a push to deepen India’s strategic partnership with Central Asia and to reaffirm New Delhi’s commitment to a region free of terrorism, separatism and extremism.
In the first leg of the visit, the Prime Minister is travelling to Tashkent on the invitation of Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev for a two-day bilateral visit. In a statement issued before his departure, the Prime Minister said the strategic partnership between India and Uzbekistan has made significant progress over the past few years, and that he looks forward to discussions with President Mirziyoyev on trade and investment, digital connectivity, defence and energy, among other key sectors. He described his visit to Tashkent as a tribute to the close cultural and people-to-people ties that exist between the two countries, saying that India and Uzbekistan’s relationship goes beyond diplomacy and is rooted in deep historical, civilisational and public bonds.
After completing the bilateral programme in Tashkent, the Prime Minister will travel to Bishkek on the invitation of Kyrgyzstan President Sadyr Japarov, where he will attend the 26th Summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). The Prime Minister said India has been an active and constructive member of the SCO since gaining full membership in 2017, and will continue to play its role for peace, security and development in the region.
The Prime Minister said India wants to take forward its vision of security, connectivity and opportunity for the region, and will work with other SCO member states to build a region free from terrorism, separatism and extremism. He said sustained cooperation, mutual trust and stronger connectivity among all countries were essential for durable peace and development in the region.
Earlier, sharing a video showing young well-wishers from Uzbekistan expressing excitement ahead of his visit, the Prime Minister said on X that it was especially heartwarming to see them express themselves in Hindi, adding that their enthusiasm made the moment even more special ahead of his travel to the Central Asian nation.
The Prime Minister expressed confidence that his visit to Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan would help further strengthen India’s strategic partnership with Central Asia—(BuzzBytes)
