TASHKENT, August 29. /Dunyo IA/. Dilorom Mamatkulova, Leading research fellow at the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, has provided Dunyo IA an analytical article on Uzbekistan–India relations in light of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to our country, which begins today:

- Today, it can be stated with confidence that that under Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Uzbek‑Indian relations have acquired a completely new dynamic. The strategic partnership has moved beyond a predominantly political dialogue and has assumed the character of multifaceted practical interaction. It encompasses politics, economics, industrial cooperation, healthcare, the digital sector, education, security, and transport.

At the core of these changes lie the firm political will of the leaders of both states, the absence of fundamental contradictions, the historical closeness of the two nations, and the complementarity of their economies. In other words, relations have entered a period of institutional strengthening, the expansion of economic content, and a gradual transition towards the joint creation of added value.

Firstly, the political dialogue has acquired a systematic and trusting character

Since June 2017, no fewer than six high-level bilateral contacts have taken place in both in-person and virtual formats. Among them are the meeting between Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the SCO summit in Astana in 2017, the state visit of the President of Uzbekistan to India in 2018, a working visit to the state of Gujarat in 2019, the first bilateral virtual summit in 2020, a meeting on the sidelines of the Samarkand SCO summit in 2022, and a telephone conversation between the leaders in August 2025. Additional stability to the political interactions has been provided by the "India-Central Asia" summit, consultations between foreign policy departments, the intergovernmental commission, and inter-parliamentary contacts.

The 2018 state visit deserves special mention, as it served as the political starting point for this new stage. The adopted documents significantly expanded the content of the strategic partnership – ranging from economics, tourism, and science to defense and the fight against illicit drug trafficking. The 2020 virtual summit set a common goal to bring trade to $1 billion. In 2025, this benchmark was surpassed.

Tashkent and New Delhi share approaches to strengthening the central role of the UN, countering terrorism, stabilizing Afghanistan, and shaping a multipolar world order.

The two countries pursue a policy of strategic autonomy, advocating for cooperation free from bloc thinking. This very closeness makes their relations resilient to external contingencies.

Secondly, trade and economic cooperation has experienced unprecedented acceleration

It is indicative that in 2016, mutual trade turnover stood at $366 million, while by the end of 2025 it reached $1.3 billion.

Thus, over the period of reforms, it has increased approximately 3.6-fold, including a 33.3 percent growth over the past year alone. A task that until recently was perceived as ambitious has now become a surpassed milestone.

Equally important is the changing model of interaction. The agenda is consistently shifting from the import and export of finished goods toward localization, technology transfer, and industrial cooperation.

In August 2022, the leaders noted a fivefold increase in the number of joint ventures over six years. As of August 2025, about 40 new joint ventures and projects had been launched, and the portfolio of promising initiatives with leading Indian companies reached $2 billion.

Thirdly, the technological and humanitarian content of relations has been qualitatively enriched

Indian capital is most prominent in pharmaceuticals, healthcare, the chemical industry, energy, agriculture, construction, and information technology. Four branches of Indian universities operate in Uzbekistan—Amity in Tashkent, Sharda in Andijan, Sambhram in Jizzakh, and Acharya in Bukhara – forming the personnel foundation of the new economy. The partnership between the Andijan region and the state of Gujarat, along with the expansion of air travel and tourist exchanges, brings relations to a new and fruitful stage of cooperation.

At the same time, the achieved level of interaction does not yet reflect the enormous potential possessed by our countries. India is one of the world's largest markets and a global center for information technology, pharmaceuticals, engineering, and entrepreneurship. Uzbekistan is Central Asia's most populous market, a dynamically reforming economy, and a natural node of regional connectivity.

In this regard, the key task of the new stage is to transform the high level of political trust into a sustainable infrastructure for economic cooperation. To multiply cooperation manifold, it appears expedient to focus joint efforts on the following areas.

First – transport connectivity and logistics

For India, access to Central Asia is of strategic importance.

The region possesses a market of over 80 million people, resources, and growing demand; however, the lack of a common border and transit restrictions constrain trade. It is telling that India's trade turnover with the five states of the region remains incomparable to the potential of its economy. For Uzbekistan, a doubly landlocked country, transportation costs directly determine export competitiveness.

The route "India – Chabahar Port – Iran – Turkmenistan – Uzbekistan" can serve as a practical foundation. In 2018, India began participating in the operation of the Shahid Beheshti terminal. By the time a ten-year contract was signed in 2024, over 8 million tons of cargo of various categories and about 90,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) had been handled through it. New Delhi views the port as an entry point to Afghanistan and Central Asia bypassing politically vulnerable routes, while Tashkent gains access to the Indian Ocean and one of the world's largest markets.

It should be noted that, despite the ongoing geopolitical turbulence in the Middle East, India demonstrates a firm commitment to the "North – South" trade corridor, expressing its readiness to continue directing its investments into the development of the Chabahar port infrastructure, which is considered a key link of this corridor.

In this regard, the launch of a regular container service with a fixed schedule and a unified transport document acquires special urgency. The integration of this route with the "North – South" corridor and the Ashgabat Agreement can reduce delivery times. We are not merely talking about transportation; this corridor can foster the development of trade, industrial cooperation, and more.

Second – the digital economy, IT outsourcing, and AI.

India occupies leading positions in the global digital market and possesses advanced technologies, extensive experience in personnel training, scaling companies, and operating in external markets.

Uzbekistan is developing a similar export-oriented vector. According to the National Statistics Agency, in January–June 2026, Uzbekistan's export of IT services amounted to $545.3 million USD. This is $61.8 million, or 12.8%, more compared to the same period in 2025. The strategic goal for 2030 is to bring exports to $5 billion, create 300,000 jobs, and enter the top 30 countries in the UN e-government development index.

The country's competitive advantages are a young population, relatively low operating costs, tax incentives, and convenient access to Central Asian markets.

The mutual benefit here is obvious. Indian companies can locate data development centers and business process outsourcing (BPO) in Uzbekistan, diversifying their personnel and geographical base.

Uzbekistan, in turn, receives technologies, international standards, and access to global clients.

"Anchor" areas should include joint centers for artificial intelligence, fintech, cybersecurity, and specialist training linked to guaranteed employment. This will enable the expansion of exports without transport barriers and create high-productivity jobs in the regions.

Third – pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and medical services.

India is the world's largest supplier of generic drugs, accounting for about 20 percent of their global supply.

In 2025, Indian pharmaceutical exports reached $30.5 billion and covered 191 countries. Exports of medical devices amounted to $4.1 billion. India's strengths are a combination of scale, affordability, and experience operating in strictly regulated markets.

For Uzbekistan, where a growing population increases the demand for medicines and medical services, this partnership simultaneously addresses the tasks of ensuring the availability of high‑quality drugs, import substitution, and technological modernization. For Indian companies, Uzbekistan is important as a market and production base for Central Asia, while for Uzbekistan India is essential as a source of technology, clinical competencies, and personnel training.

In our view, it is necessary to transition from assembly and packaging to a full cycle: the production of active pharmaceutical ingredients, vaccines, diagnostic systems, and medical equipment, as well as joint research and clinical trials. Telemedicine, joint clinics, and medical tourism hold additional potential.

Fourth, agro‑industrial cooperation and water saving.

India and Uzbekistan both have a large agricultural sector and face water shortages, climate‑related risks, and post‑harvest losses. India has accumulated extensive experience in drip irrigation, breeding, digital field monitoring, processing, and creating cold chains. Uzbekistan produces in‑demand fruits, vegetables, textile raw materials, and processed products, but access to the Indian market is limited by logistics and phytosanitary procedures.

Joint projects should cover the entire supply chain – from seeds and water‑saving technologies to cold storage facilities, packaging, certification, and exports. For India, this is an opportunity to establish agrotechnology companies in Central Asia and diversify food supplies, while for Uzbekistan, it is a chance to increase yields, reduce losses, and gain access to a market with a population of over 1.4 billion people. A separate task should be to harmonize phytosanitary standards and create a “green corridor” for perishable products.

Fifth – critical minerals and green energy.

Rapidly growing Indian industries – electronics, batteries, electric vehicles, and renewable energy – are increasing the demand for copper, uranium, and rare and critical minerals. India is seeking to diversify supplies and reduce its dependence on a limited range of external sources. Uzbekistan has reserves of 32 types of minerals that are critically important for the transition to a “green” economy.

Mutual interest lies not in the simple sale of raw materials, but in the formation of joint value chains, including geological exploration, processing of “green” metal, production of components for electronics and solar energy, and manufacturing of fertilizers and chemical products. India will gain a more stable resource base, while Uzbekistan gains capital, technology, and steady demand. This model aligns with the main principle of the New Uzbekistan. Each investment project should bring technology, expertise, and export‑added value.

Sixth – education, science, and human capital mobility.

Four Indian university branches have already turned education into one of the most tangible pillars of relations. But the need is much broader. To achieve the goals of creating 30,000 jobs in the information technology sector, localizing pharmaceutical production, and developing engineering industries, Uzbekistan needs tens of thousands of specialists with practical competencies. India has a large‑scale system of technical and medical education and experience in training personnel for international companies.

The next step should be the establishment of joint research centers, double degree programs, basic departments at enterprises, and mutual recognition of qualifications. For India, Uzbekistan could become an educational hub in Central Asia, while for Uzbekistan, Indian programs could serve as a tool for the accelerated development of engineering, digital, and managerial capital. Education should become a connecting bridge between investment, research, and production, forming a unified ecosystem for long‑term partnership.

Thus, over the past decade, Uzbekistan and India have clearly demonstrated that historical closeness can be transformed into a modern, results-oriented strategic partnership.

There is no doubt that the consistent implementation of the outlined areas will elevate cooperation to a qualitatively new level. Today, the trajectories of the two countries are objectively converging.

Uzbekistan is turning into a center of regional cooperation, while India is becoming one of the key poles of the global economy and politics. The upcoming visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Uzbekistan will undoubtedly provide an additional impetus to bilateral interaction, allowing the consolidation of reached agreements and the determination of new priorities for the strategic partnership. The convergence of the two countries' trajectories can make the Uzbek-Indian partnership one of the main connecting bridges between Central and South Asia.