PM Modi arrives in Tashkent; Uzbekistan President Mirziyoyev receives him at airport
Synopsis
Uzbekistan's President broke protocol to personally receive PM Modi at Tashkent airport — a rare gesture that underscores just how far the India-Uzbekistan relationship has travelled in 12 years. With delegation-level talks, cultural visits, and a pivot to Bishkek for the SCO Summit to follow, this trip is one of Modi's most diplomatically loaded Central Asia swings yet.
Key Takeaways
PM Modi arrived in Tashkent on 29 August for a two-day State Visit to Uzbekistan — his fourth trip to the country.
President Shavkat Mirziyoyev personally received Modi at the airport, an uncommon diplomatic gesture.
Delegation-level talks will cover trade, digital connectivity, defence, and energy , aligning Viksit Bharat 2047 and Yangi Uzbekistan 2030 .
Modi will visit the Shastri Memorial and the Mahatma Gandhi Centre at Tashkent State University of Oriental Studies.
After Tashkent, Modi heads to Bishkek for the 26th SCO Summit , marking 25 years of the organisation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi touched down in Tashkent on Saturday evening, 29 August, launching a two-day State Visit to Uzbekistan — his fourth trip to the Central Asian nation. In an uncommon diplomatic gesture, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev personally received Modi at the airport, a signal of the warmth that has defined the bilateral relationship over the past 12 years.
Agenda for the State Visit
Modi and Mirziyoyev are scheduled to hold delegation-level talks aimed at deepening the India-Uzbekistan Strategic Partnership. The discussions will focus on trade and investment, digital connectivity, defence cooperation, and energy, while aligning the two governments' long-range development blueprints — India's Viksit Bharat 2047 and Uzbekistan's Yangi Uzbekistan 2030.
'In recent years, India-Uzbekistan Strategic Partnership has seen significant advancement. I look forward to my discussions with President Mirziyoyev on further deepening our cooperation in trade and investment, digital connectivity, defence, energy, and on advancing our shared visions of Viksit Bharat and Yangi Uzbekistan,' Modi said in his pre-departure statement.
Cultural Stops on the Itinerary
Beyond the formal talks, Modi is scheduled to visit the Shastri Memorial and the Mahatma Gandhi Centre at the Tashkent State University of Oriental Studies. He described these visits as 'a tribute to the close cultural and people-to-people ties' that connect the two countries — a nod to the deep historical links, including former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri's passing in Tashkent in 1966.
Strong Public Reception in Tashkent
Ahead of Modi's arrival, Uzbek citizens expressed enthusiasm about the visit. 'Welcome Hon'ble Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi. We Uzbek people are very happy to hear the news of your arrival. We wish that the friendly ties between the two countries keep on growing… Jai Hind, Jai Bharat, Jai Uzbekistan,' one Uzbek woman said. The sentiment reflects a broader warmth that has accompanied each of Modi's visits to the country.
A Relationship Built Over Decades
This is Modi's fourth visit to Uzbekistan. He first visited in 2015 as part of a Central Asia tour, then returned in 2016 and 2022 for Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summits. Bilateral ties have been reinforced by reciprocal high-level engagement — President Mirziyoyev visited India for a State Visit in 2018 and attended the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit in 2019.
Next Stop: Bishkek for the SCO Summit
Following the Tashkent leg, Modi will travel to Bishkek at the invitation of Kyrgyzstan President Sadyr Zhaparov to attend the 26th SCO Summit, which marks 25 years of the organisation. The back-to-back engagements underscore India's deepening strategic footprint across Central Asia.
Point of View
And when they do, it is a deliberate message to domestic and international audiences about the value they place on the visiting leader. For India, the symbolism matters: Central Asia has historically been a zone of Russian and, increasingly, Chinese influence, and every high-level Indian visit chips away at that dominance. Modi's decision to combine a bilateral State Visit with the SCO Summit in a single swing is efficient statecraft, but it also raises the question of depth versus breadth — whether India's Central Asia engagement produces durable economic outcomes or remains locked in the register of warm communiqués and cultural diplomacy.
NationPress
29 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Uzbekistan President Mirziyoyev receive PM Modi at the airport?
President Mirziyoyev personally receiving Modi at the Tashkent airport is described as a special gesture reflecting the strong friendship between India and Uzbekistan, which has grown significantly over the past 12 years. Such airport receptions by heads of state are uncommon and are widely read as a mark of exceptional bilateral regard.
What is PM Modi's agenda during his Uzbekistan State Visit?
Modi is scheduled to hold delegation-level talks with President Mirziyoyev covering trade and investment, digital connectivity, defence, and energy cooperation. The two leaders will also seek to align India's Viksit Bharat 2047 vision with Uzbekistan's Yangi Uzbekistan 2030 development blueprint.
Is this PM Modi's first visit to Uzbekistan?
No, this is Modi's fourth visit to Uzbekistan. He first visited in 2015 as part of a broader Central Asia tour, and returned in 2016 and 2022 to attend SCO Summits held in the country.
What cultural sites will PM Modi visit in Tashkent?
Modi is scheduled to visit the Shastri Memorial and the Mahatma Gandhi Centre at the Tashkent State University of Oriental Studies, which he has described as a tribute to the cultural and people-to-people ties between India and Uzbekistan.
Where does PM Modi travel after Tashkent?
After his two-day State Visit to Uzbekistan, Modi will travel to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, at the invitation of President Sadyr Zhaparov, to participate in the 26th SCO Summit marking 25 years of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.
