PM Modi lands in Uzbekistan on two-nation visit, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev receives him

Prime Minister Narendra Modi embarked on a four-day visit to Uzbekistan and Kyrgyz Republic, aiming to strengthen ties with these Central Asian states and three additional multilateral platforms. The agenda includes preparations for the upcoming BRICS Summit in September, the 2028-2029 UN Security Council term, and the long-pending India-Central Asia Summit, which has not taken place since 2022 due to geopolitical shifts and regional tensions.

Modi's primary task is to dispel perceptions that India has lost interest in Central Asia, as his first visit in 2015 promised to rebuild connectivity. Since then, trade between India and the region has grown, but connectivity has been hindered by geopolitical shifts, including the rupture in ties with Pakistan and the virtual closure of the Chabahar port projects due to U.S. sanctions.

China's Belt and Road Initiative has also made significant inroads in the region, surpassing $106 billion in China-Central Asia trade in 2025. Modi's visit presents opportunities to engage with Iran, Tajikistan, and other Central Asian states, particularly in discussions over the UN Security Council election in June 2027, where India is a contender.