India-Uzbekistan Ties Elevated to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership

New Delhi, August 30, 2026: India and Uzbekistan have elevated their bilateral relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to Uzbekistan.

The two countries signed and exchanged 11 agreements and MoUs covering areas including cultural exchange, heritage conservation, archival cooperation, Ayurveda and traditional medicine, geology and mineral resources, tourism, diplomatic training, economic and financial cooperation, environmental protection, higher education and scientific research.

Among the key announcements was a USD 1 million grant from India for afforestation in the Aral Sea region. India also announced 100 scholarships for Hindi language studies and an ICCR Sanskrit Chair at Tashkent State University of Oriental Studies.

A major digital payments initiative was also announced between NPCI International Payments Ltd (NIPL) and Uzbekistan’s National Interbank Processing Centre (NIPC). The agreement will enable Indian UPI apps to scan Uzbekistan’s UZQR codes for merchant payments in the country.

The outcomes also include a partnership agreement between the Government of Gujarat and Samarkand Region to establish closer cooperation.

The agreements and announcements are aimed at expanding cooperation between India and Uzbekistan across strategic, economic, cultural, educational, environmental and digital sectors.