Central Asia Monitoring Desk Islamabad
The Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi embarked on his two-nation visit to Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan on Saturday, expressing confidence that the diplomatic engagement will reinforce India’s strategic partnerships across Central Asia.
Commencing the itinerary, the Prime Minister will first traveled to Tashkent for a two-day bilateral visit at the invitation of Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and arrived at Tashkent on 29 Aug where the President welcomed Mr. Modi himself.
Outlining expectations for the bilateral engagement, PM Modi said in his departure statement, “In recent years, India-Uzbekistan Strategic Partnership has seen significant advancement. I look forward to my discussions with President Mirziyoyev on further deepening our cooperation in trade and investment, digital connectivity, defence, energy, and on advancing our shared visions of Viksit Bharat and Yangi Uzbekistan.”
During the visit, he will hold delegation-level talks with President Mirziyoyev, advancing the shared developmental visions of Viksit Bharat 2047 and Uzbekistan-2030.
As part of the schedule in the Uzbek capital, the Prime Minister noted that he will also visit the Shastri Memorial and the Mahatma Gandhi Centre at the Tashkent State University of Oriental Studies, which he described as “a tribute to the close cultural and people-to-people ties” connecting both countries.
This marks PM Modi’s fourth visit to Uzbekistan, following previous diplomatic engagements in 2015, alongside subsequent visits in 2016 and 2022 to attend SCO Summits.
Bilateral and multilateral cooperation between New Delhi and Tashkent has expanded steadily over the years, highlighted by President Mirziyoyev’s State Visit to India in 2018 and his participation in the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit in 2019.
Long term, Comprehensive India-Central Asia Partnership-Delhi Declaration of 1st India-CAR Summit
The Prime Minister further added, “I also look forward to meeting President Japarov and other SCO leaders, and to attending the Opening Ceremony of the 6th World Nomad Games, a celebration of the rich living heritage of Central Asia that India holds in deep respect.”
PM Modi added, “I am confident that this visit will strengthen India’s strategic partnerships in Central Asia, deepen our civilisational connect with the region, and advance our shared pursuit of peace, stability and prosperity, values that lie at the heart of India’s engagement with the world.”
India Central Asia Cooperation
India hosted the first virtual India-Central Asia Summit on January 27, 2022, bringing together the leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan
The first summit marked 30 years of diplomatic relations and the leaders agreed to hold the summit every two years.
Core Objectives and Agenda of the Summit
Connectivity: Improving trade corridors and transport links, such as the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC).
Security: Countering terrorism, extremism, and radicalization, especially regarding regional stability involving Afghanistan.
Economic Cooperation: Boosting commerce, energy partnerships, and investments in healthcare, education, and tourism.
Recent Developments
Foreign Ministers’ Dialogue: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has continued diplomatic momentum through the India-Central Asia Dialogue meetings.
Current Engagement: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ongoing diplomatic visits to Central Asian nations focus on reinforcing these strategic, energy, and security frameworks
Chronology of India-Central Asia Dialogues and Summits
2012: India launched the Connect Central Asia Policy to expand political, security, and economic ties.
2015: Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a landmark tour visiting all five Central Asian Republics (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan).
2019: The India-Central Asia Dialogue at the Foreign Ministers’ level was established, holding its inaugural meeting in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
Dec 2021: The 3rd India-Central Asia Dialogue took place in New Delhi, setting the stage for a top-tier leaders’ meeting.
Jan 27, 2022: The 1st India-Central Asia Summit
2024: The 1st India-Central Asia Rare Earth Forum convened to discuss critical minerals and joint resource exploration.
June 6, 2025: The 4th India-Central Asia Dialogue was held in New Delhi at the Foreign Ministers’ level, leading to the creation of the India-Central Asia Digital Partnership Forum
SCO Format visit to Kyrgyz Republic
Following the bilateral leg in Tashkent, PM Modi will proceed to Bishkek at the invitation of Kyrgyzstan President Sadyr Japarov to attend the 26th SCO Summit, which commemorates a quarter-century of the organisation.
Highlighting regional priorities, PM Modi said in the departure statement, “India has been an active and constructive member of the SCO since 2017. I look forward to advancing India’s vision for the region, anchored in Security, Connectivity and Opportunity, and to working with fellow members for a region free from the scourge of terrorism, separatism and extremism, which continue to threaten peace and stability in our neighbourhood and beyond.”
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation has ten member states with a combined territory of about 36 million kilometres and a population of over 3.4 billion. It represents about 25 per cent of global GDP is about 25 per cent and over 15 per cent of international trade.
Pakistani expert on Central Asia and India affairs , Mr. Tazeen Akhtar has shared his views on the increasing cooperation and engagements.
He said, ” Pakistan follows a foreign policy of good neighborly relations with all countries of the region. Pakistan observes the developments with respect to India Central Asia but have no reservation at all.”
He said, close and cordial relations between India and Central Asia are indirectly beneficial for Pakistan as well. He explained that Central Asian states are looking forward to reach to Indian markets and Pakistan provides transit for that target. He gave the example of TAPI gas pipeline project. He added, the trilateral train project from Uzbekistan may also be expanded to India in the future establishing a rail corridor between Central Asia and South Asia.
Tazeen Akhtar said, the economic and trade relations between Central Asia and India may help resolve the issues between Pakistan and India because India is also keen to have direct road and rail access to CARs. India needs Pakistan to use later’s air space to save its aviation industry. Indian flights to Central Asian capitals , particularly and to Eurasia in general are badly affected due to ban of Pakistani air space. The growing partnership between Central Asia and India may pave the way to meaningful dialogue between Pakistan and India.
