Onlykashmir.in News Desk
External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar held a meeting with visiting Uzbekistan Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov in New Delhi on Monday, as the two sides reviewed the expanding bilateral relationship and reaffirmed their shared commitment to a zero tolerance approach against terrorism. The meeting formed part of a high level official visit by the Uzbek foreign minister to India spanning August 2 to 5.
In his opening remarks, Dr Jaishankar noted that the bilateral relationship between India and Uzbekistan has expanded significantly over the years, spanning trade, energy, connectivity, education and cultural exchange. The Indian side has consistently viewed Central Asia as a region of growing strategic importance, and Uzbekistan, with its size and location, has emerged as one of India’s key partners in the region.
Dr Jaishankar also appreciated Uzbekistan’s firm position against terrorism, saying that both countries have demonstrated zero tolerance towards the menace regardless of its form or justification. The remarks come at a time when India has repeatedly sought broader international consensus on countering cross border terrorism, particularly in the context of security challenges emanating from its immediate neighbourhood.
Saidov’s visit to India has been packed with high profile engagements. Earlier in the day, he called on President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan, where the President underlined the deep historical, cultural and civilizational ties shared by the two nations, rooted in ancient trade routes that once connected the Indian subcontinent with Central Asia. Both leaders agreed that the visit offered a valuable opportunity to identify new areas of cooperation and deepen the mutually beneficial partnership across diverse sectors.
The Uzbek foreign minister’s itinerary also includes participation in a business forum in New Delhi aimed at expanding economic and commercial cooperation between the two countries, building on the India-Uzbekistan Strategic Partnership that was formally declared in 2011. Officials on both sides have signalled interest in deepening ties in areas such as connectivity, technology and energy security.
The talks between Dr Jaishankar and Saidov are expected to lay further groundwork for expanding cooperation ahead of upcoming high level exchanges between the two governments, with both sides describing the relationship as one of steadily growing strategic convergence in a region of rising global significance.
