PM Modi Arrives in Uzbekistan

Reacting on the PM’s visit, Industry body Assocham said: “Consequent to India increasing FDI up to 49 per cent in the defence production, its economic relations with Russian Federation are expected to see a dramatic change with the prime minister’s visit to the CIS countries giving an extra push to strategic ties with the region”.

“Our prime minister’s vision of digital India has the potential to fundamentally transform the lives of 1.2 billion Indians using the power of digital technologies”, said Mukesh Ambani, chairman and managing director of Reliance Industries, one the country’s most profitable company, who also spoke at the digital kick-off event.

“Dearest sisters and brothers of United States, on the occasion of Independence Day, I convey my warm wishes to you all”. In this regard, the bilateral Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism will meet later in 2015.

This is Modi’s first trip as prime minister to the Central Asian republics of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, and he intends to make a mark on his hosts while hoping to bolster Indian presence and engagement in these countries. In May India signed an agreement with Iran to develop the Chabahar port in the southeast of the country. Priority must be given to a pipeline connecting India to Central Asia as in the TAPI (Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Iran-Pakistan) pipeline project. The security situation in Afghanistan also remains fragile after the end of the US-led North Atlantic Treaty Organisation mission. Modi said he will hold talks with President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, which would be followed by signing of agreements and a meeting with the press.

Both sides also welcomed the proposal to set up telemedicine links connecting medical institutions in Uzbekistan and India for consultations.

“The success of connectivity through and across Central Asia is important”. From Europe to Asia, all nations must foster a climate of cooperation and collaboration, not competition and exclusion, in this region. He lauded the generosity of Kazakhstan in making way for India for the membership of UN Security Council in 2011-12 adding that India solidly stands behind Kazakhstan for its bid in 2017-18.

And in this context, Modi said both the leaders talked about the rising threat of extremism and terrorism in the “extended neighbourhood” of the two countries.

Thank you again for your hospitality and a wonderful meeting.

Over the next year or so, trade between India and Central Asia is likely to rise, although it will remain far below the level of China- Central Asia trade. Our ancestors crossed the mighty Himalaya, Karakoram, Hindu Kush and Pamirs for spiritualism, knowledge, and markets. “We will connect through space and cyber as we will by air, land and sea”.