India-Uzbekistan Relations: Parliamentary Cooperation Gets a New Push

Context

India and Uzbekistan have reiterated their efforts for further parliamentary, economic, educational and cultural cooperation, with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Uzbekistan’s Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov affirming the increasing strategic value of the bilateral ties.

Key Highlights

• The Speaker of Lok Sabha Om Birla met the Foreign Minister of Uzbekistan Bakhtiyor Saidov at Parliament House.
• The talks centered on enhancement of parliamentary cooperation, commerce, investment, education and culture exchange, and regional cooperation.
• The meeting is in line with the dynamic in India–Central Asia relations, which has been gaining momentum since the formation of the Parliamentary Friendship Group between India and Uzbekistan in 2026.

Historical Relations

• India and Uzbekistan have had close relations for centuries.
  • There is an ancient trade route link between both countries, known as the Silk Route.
  • During the Mughal period, cultures interacted well, as the Mughals had a Central Asian heritage.
  • Sufis have created a strong bond among people through their traditions, language, literature, architecture and trade.
  • The historical exchanges still have an impact on today’s diplomacy.

Recent Developments

• High-Level Parliamentary Engagement

  • Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov reiterated their efforts for further strengthening of bilateral cooperation.
    • Leaders talked about growing links with:
    • Parliamentary exchanges
    • Trade and investment
    • Education
    • Technology
    • Culture

• India–Uzbekistan Parliamentary Friendship Group

  • Constituted in March 2026.
  • Aims to:
    • Enhance legislative cooperation.
    • Encourage Lawmakers to discuss with each other.
    • Support the sharing of parliamentary good practices.
    • Strengthen people-to-people ties.

• Continuation of High-Level Visits

  • Om Birla spoke of his involvement in the 150th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly in Tashkent (April 2025).
  • Parliamentary cooperation is set to be ongoing, thanks to meetings with the leadership of Uzbekistan.

Importance of India-Uzbekistan Relations

• Strategic Importance

  • Uzbekistan is the major Central Asian partner for India.
  • It implements India’s Connect Central Asia Policy.
  • Cooperation enhances India’s ties with Eurasia.

• Economic Cooperation

  • Growing collaboration in:
    • Trade and investment.
    • Pharmaceuticals.
    • Information Technology.
    • Textiles.
    • Agriculture.
    • Infrastructure development.
    • Digital economy.

• Connectivity

  • Uzbekistan has an important role in enhancing the connectivity between South Asia and Central Asia.
  • It backs projects, such as:
    • International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC)
    • Chabahar Port connectivity
    • Regional transport corridors.

• Energy Security

  • Uzbekistan has a considerable amount of reserves of:
    • Natural gas
    • Uranium
    • Critical minerals
  • India’s energy diversification is enhanced with the help of cooperation.

• Education and Cultural Cooperation

  • Increasing collaboration between universities.
  • Student exchanges.
  • Cultural festivals.
  • Tourism promotion.
  • Preservation of common heritage.

Importance for India

• The partnership helps India to:
  • Increase its strategic role in Central Asia.
  • Resist geopolitical threats from any region.
  • Diversify trade routes.
  • Strengthen energy security.
  • Increase defence and security cooperation.
  • Promote regional connectivity and stability.
• Challenges
  • Fear of a less direct link between Central Asia and India.
  • Instability in Afghanistan in the region.
  • Rivalry of the great powers such as China and Russia.
  • Minimal bilateral trade in relation to potential.

Way Forward

• Strengthen parliamentary diplomacy by regular exchanges.
• Enhance connectivity through INSTC and Chabahar Port.
• Increase bilateral trade and investment.
• Encourage collaboration in new technologies, start-ups and innovations.
• Enhance education links and cultural cooperation.
• Improve cooperation in the areas of counter-terrorism, regional security and capacity building.

Source: The PIB

Mains PYQ

Q. A number of outside powers have entrenched themselves in Central Asia, which is a zone of interest to India. Discuss the implications, in this context, of India’s joining the Ashgabat Agreement (2018)

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