New Delhi, August 31 (APAC Media): India and Uzbekistan have elevated their bilateral relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, while signing a series of agreements and announcing new initiatives across culture, education, healthcare, mining, tourism, finance, environment and digital payments.
The decisions were announced during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s August 29-30 state visit to Uzbekistan, held at the invitation of Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
The outcomes are aimed at expanding cooperation across multiple sectors and giving fresh momentum to the growing India-Uzbekistan partnership.
Culture, Heritage and People-to-People Ties
India and Uzbekistan signed a Cultural Exchange Programme for 2026-30 to deepen cultural cooperation and strengthen people-to-people connections.
The two countries also signed a Letter of Intent for the conservation and restoration of the ancient Buddhist sites of Fayaz Tepa and Kara Tepa in Termez.
Heritage cooperation will also be strengthened through an MoU between India’s National Archives and Uzbekistan’s Uzarchive, covering collaboration in archival work.
Healthcare, Education and Research
An MoU was signed to expand cooperation between India and Uzbekistan in Ayurveda and other traditional systems of medicine.
The two sides also agreed to deepen cooperation in higher education and scientific research, strengthening academic exchanges and research collaboration.
In another initiative, the Lal Bahadur Shastri Scholarship for Hindi Language was announced, providing 100 scholarships for Uzbek students.
India will also establish an ICCR Sanskrit Chair at the Tashkent State University of Oriental Studies, further strengthening academic and cultural engagement.
Cooperation in Mining and Tourism
India’s Ministry of Mines and Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Mining Industry and Geology signed an MoU to expand cooperation in geology and mineral resources.
Tourism cooperation will be guided by a Partnership Programme for 2026-28 signed between India’s Ministry of Tourism and Uzbekistan’s Tourism Committee.
Economic and Financial Cooperation
The two countries agreed to establish an Economic and Financial Dialogue through an MoU between their respective finance ministries.
The initiative is expected to provide a structured platform for discussions on economic and financial cooperation between the two countries.
An agreement was also signed between the Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service and Uzbekistan’s Diplomatic Academy at the University of World Economy and Diplomacy to promote cooperation in diplomatic training and capacity building.
Environment and Aral Sea Initiative
Environmental cooperation was strengthened through an agreement between India’s Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and Uzbekistan’s National Committee on Ecology and Climate Change.
India also announced a USD 1 million grant for afforestation in the Aral Sea region, supporting environmental rehabilitation efforts in the area.
UPI Payments to Expand in Uzbekistan
A major digital payments initiative will enable Indian UPI users to make merchant payments in Uzbekistan using the country’s national UZQR codes.
Under a commercial agreement, NPCI International Payments Ltd (NIPL) and Uzbekistan’s National Interbank Processing Centre JSC (NIPC) will enable UPI apps from India to scan UZQR codes for payments at participating merchants.
The initiative is expected to strengthen digital payment connectivity between the two countries and make transactions more convenient for Indian visitors.
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