The Ambassador Series

 

Building a Common Future in Central Asia: The Way Forward for India-Uzbekistan Relations

 

Keynote Address by H.E. Mr. Farhad Arziev, Ambassador of Uzbekistan

 

 

 

Chair: Ambassador Ashok Sajjanhar, Adviser Central Asia, Ananta Aspen Centre, President, Institute of Global Studies & former Ambassador of India to Kazakhstan, Sweden and Latvia

 

 

 

Central Asia is a strategically and economically important region for India.  Among the five countries of the region, India enjoys a strategic partnership and shares a crucial relationship with Uzbekistan, the most populous Central Asian country.  The existing bilateral engagement has flowed naturally from long standing historical, cultural and civilizational ties. Bilateral cooperation runs the gamut from trade and investment, education and civil aviation all the way to tourism, science and technology, telecommunications, agriculture and IT. Alongside this exists a deepening military relationship, partly driven by a common concern about terrorism and regional stability. Uzbekistan was instrumental in India acceding to the Ashgabat Agreement in early 2018. Uzbekistan, itself a source of uranium, has supported India’s candidature for Nuclear Suppliers Group. Fresh elements have emerged in the partnership with the assumption of power by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in late 2016. 

 

Prime Minister Modi visited Tashkent twice over the last 3 years and also met President Mirziyoyev at the SCO Summit in Qingdao, China in June, 2018. With the first state visit of Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev to India in October, 2018 serving as a backdrop, the two governments can be expected to provide a strong impetus to the existing bilateral and multilateral partnership between the two countries

 

 

 

(Collaboration: Ananta Aspen Centre)