India–Uzbekistan Relations

Historical and Strategic Context

India and Uzbekistan share old civilizational links through Central Asian trade routes, Buddhism, Persianate culture and the Mughal connection.

India recognised Uzbekistan after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, and diplomatic relations were established in 1992.

The relationship was elevated to a Strategic Partnership in 2011.

A major contemporary upgrade came during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s State Visit to Uzbekistan on 29–30 August 2026, when both countries decided to elevate ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

Uzbekistan is particularly important for India because it lies at the geographical and political heart of Central Asia.

It matters for:

• access to Central Asia;
• Afghanistan-related security;
• counter-terrorism;
• energy and critical minerals;
• connectivity;
• Eurasian geopolitics;
• balancing the influence of China, Russia and Pakistan in the region.

India engages Uzbekistan both bilaterally and through frameworks such as:

• India–Central Asia Dialogue;
• India–Central Asia Summit;
• Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO);
• BRICS;
• UN mechanisms.

Trade, Investment and Connectivity

Economic relations have grown but remain below their potential.

According to Uzbek statistics, bilateral trade was around US$980 million in 2024, and by 2026 bilateral trade had crossed US$1 billion.

During the August 2026 summit, both countries set a target of US$5 billion bilateral trade by 2030.

Major Indian exports include:

• pharmaceuticals;
• machinery;
• automobile components;
• mobile phones;
• medical and optical equipment;
• services.

India imports products such as:

• fruits and vegetables;
• fertilizers;
• extracts and juices;
• lubricants;
• other agricultural and industrial products.

Indian investment in Uzbekistan has expanded in:

• pharmaceuticals;
• healthcare;
• education;
• construction;
• information technology.

A Bilateral Investment Treaty was signed in 2024, strengthening investor protection and predictability.

Both countries have also completed a Joint Feasibility Study for a Preferential Trade Agreement, with further negotiations under consideration.

The biggest structural constraint remains connectivity.

India has no direct land access to Central Asia because Pakistan lies between India and the region.

India therefore seeks alternative corridors through:

• Iran’s Chabahar Port;
• the International North–South Transport Corridor (INSTC);
• multimodal links through Iran and Central Asia.

Uzbekistan’s participation in these connectivity arrangements is strategically important because better transport links can substantially reduce the cost of India–Central Asia trade.

Defence, Security and Afghanistan

Security cooperation is one of the strongest pillars of India–Uzbekistan relations.

Both countries face concerns relating to:

• terrorism;
• radicalisation;
• extremist networks;
• narcotics trafficking;
• instability in Afghanistan.

The Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism provides an institutional mechanism for cooperation.

The two countries also maintain a Joint Working Group on Defence Cooperation.

A major feature of military engagement is the annual Exercise DUSTLIK, conducted between the Indian and Uzbek armed forces.

Its latest edition was held in Uzbekistan in April 2026.

Cooperation also includes:

• military training;
• capacity building;
• defence-industry interaction;
• exchanges between armed forces;
• security consultations.

Afghanistan gives the relationship additional strategic importance.

Uzbekistan shares a border with Afghanistan, while India has major security interests in preventing Afghan territory from being used by terrorist organisations.

Both countries therefore favour:

• regional stability;
• counter-terrorism cooperation;
• economic connectivity through Afghanistan where conditions permit;
• preventing extremist spillover into Central and South Asia.

Energy, Critical Minerals and New-Age Cooperation

Energy security has emerged as an increasingly important pillar.

Uzbekistan possesses significant reserves of:

• uranium;
• gold;
• copper;
• other strategic and critical minerals.

India and Uzbekistan have a long-term arrangement for the supply of uranium to India, and progress on this arrangement was specifically reviewed during the 2026 summit.

Cooperation is also expanding in:

• nuclear energy;
• critical minerals;
• mining;
• mineral processing;
• renewable energy;
• clean-energy technologies.

This is important for India because diversification of uranium and critical-mineral supplies can reduce strategic dependence on a limited number of suppliers.

A major new dimension is digital cooperation.

India has assisted Uzbekistan in developing its IT ecosystem, including support connected with establishment of the country’s first IT Park in Tashkent.

Current areas of cooperation include:

• Digital Public Infrastructure;
• UPI and digital payments;
• Artificial Intelligence;
• cybersecurity;
• start-ups;
• space;
• digital education.

The 2026 Comprehensive Strategic Partnership placed these future-oriented sectors at the centre of bilateral relations.

Education, Culture and People-to-People Ties

Cultural links remain unusually strong.

Indian cinema, music, yoga and Hindi enjoy significant popularity in Uzbekistan.

India operates cultural and academic initiatives through:

• Lal Bahadur Shastri Centre for Indian Culture;
• ICCR programmes;
• India Study Centres;
• ITEC training;
• university partnerships.

Several Indian universities have established campuses in Uzbekistan.

The Indian community in Uzbekistan was estimated at about 21,000 in early 2026, including roughly 16,300 students, making education an increasingly important pillar of bilateral ties.

The first India–Uzbekistan Consular Dialogue was held in July 2025 to address:

• visa issues;
• student security;
• medical travel;
• tourism;
• consular cooperation.

During the 2026 State Visit, cooperation was also expanded in:

• Ayurveda and traditional medicine;
• cultural exchanges;
• restoration of ancient Buddhist sites at Fayaz Tepa and Kara Tepa in Termez;
• archival cooperation.

These initiatives reinforce the civilizational dimension of the relationship.

Strategic Significance and Challenges

For India, Uzbekistan provides access to the political and economic centre of Central Asia and supports India’s broader Connect Central Asia strategy.

Its importance has increased because Central Asia lies at the intersection of:

• Russia;
• China;
• Afghanistan;
• Iran;
• the Caspian region.

The principal challenges are:

• lack of direct geographical connectivity;
• relatively low bilateral trade;
• high logistics costs;
• China’s strong economic presence in Central Asia;
• continuing uncertainty in Afghanistan;
• limited private-sector awareness of commercial opportunities.

India’s comparative advantages lie in:

• pharmaceuticals;
• healthcare;
• IT;
• education;
• digital public infrastructure;
• capacity building;
• defence training;
• development partnership.

The relationship is therefore gradually shifting from a largely historical and political partnership to a multidimensional strategic relationship centred on connectivity, security, digital technology, energy, critical minerals and trade.

The 2026 elevation to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership marks the clearest indication that Uzbekistan has become one of the central pillars of India’s engagement with Central Asia.