"We want to take it into mining": Jaishankar on India-Uzbekistan targeting critical minerals, expanding trade
New Delhi, August 3
India and Uzbekistan moved to significantly expand their strategic and economic footprint on Monday, with New Delhi highlighting its intent to deepen ties across key sectors, particularly critical rare earth minerals and mining, during high-level talks in the capital.
The discussions took centre stage during the official visit of Uzbek Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov, who met with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan as part of a four-day official visit spanning August 2 to 5.
Warmly welcoming the Uzbek delegation, Jaishankar emphasised India's civilizational and strategic view of Tashkent, highlighting the steady momentum in bilateral engagements.
"We in India consider Uzbekistan to be very much part of our extended neighbourhood. There has always been a continuous exchange of people, ideas, and goods in both directions... In more modern times, we have had regular interaction at the political level between our systems, at institutional levels and are very glad to see there is a steady momentum in our ties."
Jaishankar pointed out that while bilateral cooperation already spans construction, digital technology, energy, healthcare, and education, both nations are ready to chart new territory.
"Our bilateral relations over the years have expanded. And today, they really span a very diverse range of domains from construction and digital to energy, health, education. We want to take it into mining."
Trade between the two nations currently hovers around $1 billion, a figure both sides are eager to scale up. Jaishankar expressed strong optimism for commercial growth, noting simply: "We definitely think that that number should go up."
To foster closer institutional ties, both countries have established a parliamentary friendship group. Jaishankar voiced hope that regular exchanges between representatives would provide additional momentum to diplomatic and economic ties.
Earlier in the day, Foreign Minister Saidov called on President Droupadi Murmu. Their meeting touched upon strategic cooperation, shared historical heritage, and burgeoning commercial synergy--a sentiment bolstered by an India-Uzbekistan Business Forum organised on the sidelines of the visit.
President Murmu underlined that there is "immense potential for cooperation between India and Uzbekistan in the mining sector, particularly in rare earth minerals, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and information technology."
She also lauded the robust educational and professional exchanges acting as the backbone of bilateral relations:
3,000+ Uzbek officials, professionals, and students trained under India's ITEC and scholarship programs.16,000+ Indian students currently pursuing higher education in Uzbekistan.
Both leaderships reaffirmed their commitment to expanding strategic cooperation in Central Asia, expressing confidence that the high-level exchanges will further strengthen the bonds of trust, friendship, and economic cooperation between the two nations.
— ANI
Reader Comments
The 16,000 Indian students in Uzbekistan is a number many don't know about. This people-to-people connect is the real foundation. When students go there and come back with skills and understanding, it creates bonds that last generations. Good diplomatic work.
Finally, India is waking up to the importance of Central Asia! For too long, we treated this region as someone else's backyard. The mining and rare earth push is exactly what we need for our technology and defense sectors. Keep the momentum going, EAM!
While the $1 billion trade target is modest compared to our trade with other nations, it's a starting point. The emphasis on ITEC training for 3,000+ Uzbek professionals is also a soft power win. Smart play by the government to build long-term influence without imposing.
Good initiative, but I hope the mining contracts are structured properly with transparency. We've seen in the past how such deals can become opaque. Need to ensure local communities in both countries benefit and environmental standards are maintained. Otherwise, this is a welcome step.
This is what proactive diplomacy looks like! While everyone is focused on the Middle East and Southeast Asia, India is carefully building bridges in Central Asia. The historical ties with Uzbekistan are strong — from the Mughal era to modern times. It's good to see that legacy being carried forward.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.