Modi concludes Central Asia trip, urges SCO action against terror financing

Narendra Modi ended his Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan visit after bilateral meetings and the SCO summit in Bishkek. The trip sharpened India's regional outreach with stronger partnerships, trade goals and a firm anti-terror message.

In Short

• India and Uzbekistan upgraded ties, targeting USD 5 billion trade by 2030
• Eleven agreements covered mining, tourism and long-term uranium supply cooperation
• In Bishkek, Modi met Putin, Pezeshkian and Zhaparov on summit sidelines

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday concluded his two-nation visit to Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, during which he held bilateral meetings with several leaders and attended the annual Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Bishkek. At the summit, he called for united action to dismantle the entire ecosystem of terrorism and its financing.

The visit also saw India and Uzbekistan elevate their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership and set a target of USD 5 billion in annual trade by 2030. In Kyrgyzstan, Modi held meetings with leaders including Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov.

Modi was seen off at the airport in Bishkek by Adylbek Kasymaliev, Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan. "Following a productive visit, PM @narendramodi departed from Bishkek for India. PM was seen off by Mr. Adylbek Kasymaliev, Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan," the Ministry of External Affairs posted on X. "The visit was marked by productive engagements, and tangible outcomes, further strengthening India's engagement with the region," it said.

Modi began the trip in Uzbekistan on Saturday. After talks with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the two countries decided to elevate ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership and set a target of USD 5 billion in annual trade by 2030. They also signed 11 agreements to boost engagement in sectors including mining and tourism. The two sides agreed to establish a framework for the long-term supply of uranium from Uzbekistan to India, in line with cooperation in the civil nuclear energy sector.

On Sunday, Modi reached Kyrgyzstan to attend the SCO summit and held a series of bilateral meetings on the sidelines. In his meeting with Putin, Modi called for an immediate end to the Russia-Ukraine conflict and said a peaceful resolution was humanity's shared priority. Modi also attended the opening ceremony of the World Nomad Games in Bishkek on Monday along with several visiting SCO leaders.

During his meeting with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Modi said India wanted to "expand and diversify" the trade basket with Iran in the "times to come" and called for resolution of the West Asia conflict through dialogue and diplomacy. In separate talks, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov and Modi agreed to further enhance economic and commercial cooperation, taking into account the complementarities between the two economies.

Addressing the SCO summit on Tuesday, Modi said the grouping must work together to dismantle the entire ecosystem of terrorism and its financing, and asserted that there could be no room for double standards in dealing with the menace. During the visit, he was also conferred with Uzbekistan's prestigious 'Oliy Darajali Do'stlik' Order on Sunday, which he dedicated to the "enduring" bond between India and Uzbekistan. The visit ended with bilateral meetings, agreements and summit engagements that underlined India's push to deepen ties with the region.

With PTI Inputs

- Ends