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Old friends and close partners
Relations have improved markedly since independence. India has regular contacts with Uzbekistan on a high level. The leaders have met many times in both Delhi and Tashkent, as well as at international forums.
President Islam Karimov invited Indian Prime minister Manmohan Singh to pay an official visit to Uzbekistan on April 25-26. They met one on one to discuss further development of bilateral relations, especially political, trade-economic and humanitarian-cultural.
President Karimov underlined that the visit is the logical continuation of bilateral negotiations, especially in April 2005 in Delhi at the Uzbek-Indian summit.
Prime minister Singh thanked the President for his invitation and underlined that the visit raised mutual relations to a new level.
They discussed regional and international issues and the development of military-technological cooperation. They noted the successful work of the joint working group to fight terrorism. This group met in Delhi in December 2005 and will meet soon in Tashkent.
They discussed Afghanistan. Uzbekistan and India use Iranian transport communications. A convenient and profitable trade route through Afghanistan gives the possibility of strengthening ties between regionals and markets.
The official delegations also met along with the two leaders. They reviewed agreements from past summits and measures to achieve the goals set out then.
The question of broadening trade and investment was raised. Creation of new JVs in mining, oil and gas, energy, textiles and silk, as well as agriculture and technology was discussed. Joint scientific research and training of specialists, as well as cooperation in culture, arts and tourism were discussed.
The following documents were signed:
*a Joint declaration and a memorandum on mutual understanding on creation of an Uzbek-Indian center for development of entrepreneurship in Tashkent
*a Memorandum between Uzbekneftegaz and the Ministry of oil and gas of India on cooperation
*a Memorandum on cooperation between the State committee of Uzbekistan for geology and mineral resources and the Ministry of mining of India
*a Memorandum on cooperation between Uzbekneftegaz and the Indian company Gail Ltd
*a Working plan for 2007 between the Ministry of agriculture and water resources of Uzbekistan and the Ministry of agriculture of India
*a Memorandum on cooperation between Uzbekengilsanoat and the State trade corporation of India
*a Memorandum on cooperation between the Tashkent state institute for Asian studies and the University of Delhi.
The leaders met with the media. President Karimov noted that the talks proceeded in a frank atmosphere of mutual trust and respect and were businesslike. Both sides exchanged opinions on bilateral issues, as well as regional and international issues. Their views were close on many issues.
"This visit is a big event in the socio-political life of Uzbekistan and the development of bilateral relations," said President Karimov. "Uzbekistan welcomes India's status as an observer at the SCO and supports its joining the Security council of the UN. We fully support India's policy for strengthening peace and stability in the world. India has great experience in the sphere of information technology and it will be useful for us to learn this. India is interested in cooperating with us in oil and gas."
Prime minister Singh praised the usefulness of the visit and the results of negotiations, underlining that the signed documents served the interests of both peoples.
"The broad specter of our mutual relations is heartening," said the guest. "Uzbekistan has an important strategic position, connecting East and West, North and South. We cooperate in many spheres. We discussed raising trade-economic relations to a new level. I am glad that President Karimov accepted the proposal to create an Uzbek-Indian center for the development of entrepreneurship. We consider Uzbekistan an important partner in energy."
President Karimov noted that our countries cooperate in the framework of the Indian program of technical and economic cooperation. India will allot 120 places at universities to Uzbekistan in the coming year.
Answering journalists, the two sides underlined that the visit demonstrates the striving of the two countries to devleop friendly relations and close cooperation.
Later, Prime minister Manmohan Singh and Prime minister Shavkat Mirzieev laid flowers at the monument to independence and humanism.
Prime minister Singh said that the monument, created at the initiative of President Karimov, is a unique complex, reflecting the peace-loving politics of Uzbekistan and the noble striving of the Uzbek people on the path of creation and progress. The high guest also laid a wreath at the monument to the Indian political and state figure Lal Bahadur Shastri.
India's first Prime minister, Djavaharlal Neru, visited Uzbekistan in 1955 and 1961. In January 1966, Indian Prime minister Lal Bahadur Shatri visited Uzbekistan. Prime minister Singh noted that the monument to him is evidence of the long-time friendship of our countries and peoples.
Prime minister Singh visited the Tashkent University of information technology. In October 2004, a memorandum on opening an Uzbek-Indian center of information technology there was signed. This project was just finished. The center was named after the Indian political and state figure Djavaharlal Neru.
Prime minister Singh noted at the opening ceremony of the center that there is great potential to broaden ties in information technology. Cooperation is growing.
At the Intercontinental hotel, Prime minister Singh met with Indians working here and Uzbek India specialists, concerning scientific, cultural and arts ties, and cooperation in SMEs and private entrepreneurship. This ended the official of Indian Prime minister Singh to Uzbekistan.