Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, 29 August expressed delight at a video shared by students from Uzbekistan, in which the children welcomed him in Hindi ahead of his two-day bilateral visit to Tashkent. The gesture, which Modi called 'very special', underscores the growing people-to-people warmth between India and the Central Asian nation.

What the Video Showed

In the video, young Uzbek students addressed Modi directly in Hindi, expressing eager anticipation for his arrival. One student, introducing himself as Samandhar, said: 'Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji, welcome to Tashkent. We are students of Tashkent. We are eagerly waiting for your arrival in Tashkent.' Another student said: 'Namaste Shri Narendra Modi ji, the land of Tashkent is calling you; we are eagerly waiting for the beautiful meeting.'

A third student noted that Hindi is actively taught in Uzbekistan and that Indian culture holds considerable influence in the country — a reflection of decades of civilisational ties between the two nations.

Modi's Response on X

Sharing the video on X, Modi wrote: 'As I am about to begin my Uzbekistan visit, I am very happy to see the enthusiasm of my young friends from Uzbekistan, beautifully expressed in this video. What makes it even more special is the fact that they did it in Hindi and they did it so well!'

The Broader Visit: Strategic Goals

Modi departed India on Saturday on a two-nation tour covering Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. The Tashkent leg is at the personal invitation of Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. In his pre-departure statement, Modi said: '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.'

The Prime Minister also confirmed plans to visit the Shastri Memorial and the Mahatma Gandhi Centre at the Tashkent State University of Oriental Studies — sites he described as 'a tribute to the close cultural and people-to-people ties' binding the two countries.

Historical and Cultural Context

Tashkent carries deep historical resonance for India. It was the site of the 1966 Tashkent Declaration, signed between India and Pakistan following the 1965 war, and where former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri passed away. Modi's planned visit to the Shastri Memorial is expected to be a symbolically significant moment of the trip. Notably, the presence of Hindi instruction in Uzbek schools and the cultural familiarity reflected in the students' video point to a soft-power footprint that diplomatic visits like this one seek to reinforce.

What Comes Next

Modi's discussions with President Mirziyoyev are expected to cover trade, digital infrastructure, defence cooperation, and energy — agenda items that align with India's broader Connect Central Asia policy. Following Tashkent, the Prime Minister is scheduled to travel to Kyrgyzstan as the second leg of the tour.