Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Tashkent on Saturday, August 29, 2026, beginning a two-country visit to Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan that will include bilateral talks and participation in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit aimed at strengthening India’s strategic ties in Central Asia. Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev received Modi on arrival. Modi thanked Mirziyoyev on social media for the “special gesture” of the airport welcome and called the trip his fourth visit to Uzbekistan, reflecting the depth and growing momentum in bilateral relations.
Modi’s special aircraft took a longer route through Chinese airspace after Pakistani airspace remained closed to Indian flights, people familiar with the matter said. Soon after landing, he laid a wreath at Yangi Uzbekistan Park, underscoring the longstanding friendship between the two countries.
The two-day visit to Uzbekistan will include delegation-level talks with President Mirziyoyev on Sunday, focusing on deepening cooperation in trade, investments, digital connectivity, defence and energy, and on advancing the shared visions of “Viksit Bharat” and “Yangi Uzbekistan.” Modi will also visit the Shastri Memorial and the Mahatma Gandhi Centre at the Tashkent State University of Oriental Studies.
Uzbekistan is a BRICS partner country while India currently chairs the grouping. India is among Uzbekistan’s top 10 trade partners, and bilateral defence ties have expanded, including the seventh edition of the Dustlik joint exercise held in April 2026. Uzbekistan is also the third-largest source country for medical tourism in India and hosts more than 18,000 Indians, including around 16,000 medical students.
From Tashkent, Modi will travel to Bishkek on August 31 to participate in the 26th SCO Summit, which marks the organisation’s 25th anniversary. “I am confident that this visit will strengthen India’s strategic partnerships in Central Asia, deepen our civilisational connect with the region, and advance our shared pursuit of peace, stability and prosperity,” Modi said in a statement before departure from New Delhi.
Modi said India has been “an active and constructive member of the SCO since 2017” and seeks to advance a regional vision anchored in “Security, Connectivity and Opportunity.” On the summit margins, he is expected to hold bilateral meetings with several leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, meet Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov, and attend the opening ceremony of the World Nomad Games.
Original Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/pm-modi-lands-in-uzbekistan-on-two-nation-visit-president-shavkat-mirziyoyev-receives-him-101788012051648.html
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Publish Date: 2026-08-29 22:48:00
