Uzbekistan Foreign Minister to visit India, hold talks with EAM Jaishankar
New Delhi, July 31
Uzbekistan's Minister for Foreign Affairs, Saidov Bakhtiyor Odilovich, will be on an official visit to India from August 2-5, the Ministry of External Affairs announced on Friday. During his visit, Odilovich will call on President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan and also meet External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. He is scheduled to attend a business forum in Delhi.
On July 20, EAM Jaishankar held a telephonic conversation with Odilovich and discussed deepening bilateral ties.
"A good conversation with Bakhtiyor Saidov of Uzbekistan today. We spoke about deepening our bilateral ties, including in trade, investment and other areas," EAM Jaishankar wrote on X.
Odilovich noted that he had a substantive phone conversation with EAM Jaishankar and agreed to continue regular dialogue.
He said bilateral relations between Uzbekistan and India, based on a strategic partnership, continue to develop steadily across all areas of cooperation.
He added that both sides also exchanged views on the schedule of upcoming bilateral engagements at the highest and high levels, as well as on further strengthening cooperation within international organisations.
Odilovich emphasised that the two countries agreed to continue close, trust-based, and regular dialogue between their foreign ministries.
In May, India and Uzbekistan held the 17th round of Foreign Office Consultations in New Delhi and discussed bilateral ties with a focus on trade and investment, tourism, technology, innovation, energy, cooperation in education and other sectors.
The officials of the two nations also discussed regional and global issues of mutual interest.
"The 17th round of India-Uzbekistan Foreign Office Consultations were held in New Delhi on 13 May 2026, co-chaired by Secretary (West) Sibi George and Mr. Bakhromjon Aloev, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated on X.
"Both sides reviewed the full spectrum of bilateral relations with focus on trade and investment, tourism, technology, innovation, energy, cooperation in educational, cultural fields and other consular issues. They also exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest," he added.
— IANS
Reader Comments
The focus on education and technology is really promising. Indian students and IT professionals have a lot to offer, and Uzbekistan's growing economy presents great opportunities for collaboration. Hopefully this translates into concrete outcomes rather than just talks.
Central Asia is strategically important for India. With China and Pakistan active in the region, we need to step up our engagement. Regular high-level visits and the business forum are steps in the right direction. Also, Uzbekistan has beautiful heritage sites, tourism can be a win-win! ✈️
Nice to see continued diplomatic engagement between India and Uzbekistan. The emphasis on investment and energy cooperation is particularly relevant given the current global energy landscape. Hope the business forum generates some tangible partnerships.
While these diplomatic visits are good, I wish we saw more concrete results in terms of trade numbers. India talks a lot about connectivity with Central Asia but we still don't have a direct land route. Let's hope this visit addresses some of the practical barriers to trade. 🤔
Strategic partnership with Uzbekistan makes sense for India - they need access to Central Asian markets and Uzbekistan wants alternatives to reliance on China and Russia. The cultural connections through shared history make this a natural relationship to develop.
Interesting that EAM Jaishankar
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