New Delhi (NVI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said that India and Uzbekistan stand together against terrorism and have very similar views on the issues of regional security.
While addressing the virtual summit with Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, PM Modi said, “India wants to further deepen its development partnership with Uzbekistan, and cited growing cooperation between the two sides in diverse sectors including defence and agriculture.”
The virtual summit was organised to discuss the entire spectrum of bilateral relationship between both the countries.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), this was the first virtual bilateral summit which was held between India and Uzbekistan. Several MoUs and government to government agreements were also signed during the summit.
The two sides signed nine agreements and memorandums of understanding (MoUs) during the summit, including on a dollar credit line between the Export-Import Bank of India and the Uzbek government and another on digital technologies.
“India and Uzbekistan have same stance against radicalism, separatism, fundamentalism. Our opinions are same on regional security as well. We agree that Afghanistan needs a peace process led and controlled by Afghanistan. Additionally, the gains of the last two decades must also be preserved,” PM Modi said.
The two sides also agreed to strengthen cooperation between law enforcement agencies and special services, including through the joint working group on counter-terrorism.
India has ability in infrastructure, IT, education, health, training, capacity building which may come to Uzbekistan’s help, PM Modi said talking further about India-Uzbekistan ties. “There are remarkable reforms in Uzbekistan under your rule. We would cement our ties more in the post-covid times,” PM Modi said in his opening remark.
Recalling that both India and Uzbekistan have a mutually identified target of USD 1 billion for bilateral trade, the leaders stressed on the importance of making concerted efforts to achieve this target.
The leaders also instructed their officials to fast track a joint feasibility study to pave the way for negotiations on a preferential trade agreement. They also agreed to work towards the early conclusion of a bilateral investment treaty.
Approval of lines of credit worth $448 million for four developmental projects in Uzbekistan in road construction, sewage treatment and information technology was also approved.
Congratulating the president on the occasion of the fifth year anniversary of his rule which will be on December 14, PM Modi said he was keen to visit the country this year, but could not do so because of the pandemic situation.
The President of Uzbekistan stated that he hopes that in 2021 PM Modi’s official visit to Uzbekistan will take place. He added that it will also be a historical event that will further strengthen the development of friendly relations between the two nations.
-CHK
