NEW DELHI — Prime Minister Narendra Modi departed on Saturday for a four-day, two-nation tour of Uzbekistan and the Kyrgyz Republic, aiming to bolster India’s strategic footprint in Central Asia and participate in the 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit.
The first leg of the visit brings Modi to Tashkent on August 29 and 30 for high-level bilateral discussions with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. Talks will focus on expanding cooperation in trade, investment, defence, digital connectivity, energy, and education, while aligning India’s Viksit Bharat goals with the Yangi Uzbekistan development vision. Modi is also scheduled to pay homage at the Lal Bahadur Shastri Memorial and visit the Mahatma Gandhi Centre at Tashkent State University of Oriental Studies.
From Tashkent, the Prime Minister will travel to Bishkek at the invitation of Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov to attend the 26th SCO Summit on August 31 and September 1. The gathering marks the 25th anniversary of the regional bloc, of which India has been a full member since 2017.
In his departure remarks, Modi highlighted India’s focus on advancing regional security, connectivity, and economic opportunity. He emphasized the collective need to counter the threats of terrorism, extremism, and separatism to preserve stability across the neighbourhood.
On the sidelines of the summit, Modi will hold bilateral meetings with several world leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin. He will also attend the opening ceremony of the 6th World Nomad Games in Kyrgyzstan, celebrating the shared cultural heritage and historical ties connecting India and Central Asia.
