LS Speaker Birla, Uzbekistan FM Saidov discuss ways to deepen parliamentary cooperation
New Delhi, Aug 4
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla held a meeting with the visiting Uzbekistan Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov in New Delhi on Tuesday, discussing ways to deepen inter-parliamentary dialogue, enhance the activities of friendship groups, and promote the exchange of experience in the field of lawmaking.
During the meeting, Om Birla recalled his visit to Uzbekistan last year and expressed appreciation for the warm hospitality extended to him during the 150th Anniversary Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union.
"Had a warm and substantive meeting with H.E. Om Birla, Speaker of the Lok Sabha of the Parliament of the Republic of India. Emphasised the important role of parliamentary diplomacy in further strengthening the strategic partnership between Uzbekistan and India. We discussed ways to deepen inter-parliamentary dialogue, enhance the activities of friendship groups, and promote the exchange of experience in the field of lawmaking," Saidov posted on X.
"Om Birla warmly recalled his visit to Uzbekistan last year and once again expressed his sincere appreciation for the warm reception and traditional hospitality extended during the 150th Anniversary Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union," he added.
Birla stated that he and Bakhtiyor Saidov held discussions on further strengthening ties between India and Uzbekistan, with a special focus on enhancing parliamentary cooperation, trade, investment, connectivity, education, culture and people-to-people exchanges
"It was a pleasure to meet H.E. Mr. Bakhtiyor Saidov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan, at Parliament House today. We had a productive discussion on further strengthening the longstanding friendship between India and Uzbekistan, with a special focus on enhancing Parliamentary Cooperation, Trade, Investment, Connectivity, Education, Culture and People-to-People Exchanges," he wrote on X.
"I recalled my visit to Tashkent for the 150th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in April 2025, where I had the privilege of meeting H.E. Mr. Shavkat Mirziyoyev, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Senate Chairperson H.E. Tanzila Narbayeva and Legislative Chamber Speaker H.E. Nuriddin Ismoilov. Those interactions further reinforced our shared commitment to deepening bilateral and parliamentary engagement," he added.
During the meeting, Birla spoke about the formation of the India-Uzbekistan Parliamentary Friendship Group by the Parliament of India in March, which includes members from the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. He stated that the Group will serve as an important platform to advance cooperation between the two nations in the fields of economic development, education, culture and humanitarian Initiatives.
Bakhtiyor Saidov arrived in New Delhi on Monday for an official visit to India. During his visit, he met External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar, called on President Droupadi Murmu and participated in the Uzbekistan-India Business Forum.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Impressive to see Birla ji actively engaging in parliamentary diplomacy. These friendships groups and exchanges of lawmaking experience are what build strong bilateral ties over the long run. Great initiative.
This is good but I hope we also focus on concrete outcomes—trade corridors like the Chabahar port connecting to Central Asia, easier visas for students and businesspersons, and more direct flights. Parliamentary friendship is nice, but people-to-people benefits matter most.
Uzbekistan is often overlooked in our foreign policy compared to the Middle East or Southeast Asia. It's a smart move to strengthen ties there, especially given the security situation in Afghanistan and the need for Central Asian cooperation. Well played. 👏
Nice to see the India-Uzbekistan Parliamentary Friendship Group being formed. Our Bollywood and cricket already have a presence there—hope this translates into more academic scholarships and cultural exchanges for young Indians too. Pls ji, include students in the agenda! 😊
Positive news, but as a taxpayer I want to see the actual economic impact. We send delegations and have meetings, but trade volumes with Central Asia remain small. Let's see if these friendship groups lead to real investments and market access for Indian pharma, IT, and agri-tech.
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