PM Modi joins yoga session in Uzbekistan

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's two-day state visit to Uzbekistan from August 29-30, 2024, represents a significant milestone in India's "Extended Neighbourhood" policy and its deepening engagement with Central Asia. This fourth visit by PM Modi to Tashkent — following trips in 2015, 2016, and 2018 — underscores the strategic priority India attaches to this landlocked region that sits at the crossroads of ancient Silk Road civilizations and modern geopolitical fault lines. The visit came at the invitation of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, whose reform-oriented leadership since 2016 has transformed Uzbekistan from a relatively isolated state into a proactive regional hub, making it a natural partner for India's Act East and Connect Central Asia policies. Historically, India-Uzbekistan ties trace back to the ancient Kushan Empire (1st–3rd century CE), when Kanishka's realm spanned from Central Asia to the Gangetic plains, facilitating Buddhism's spread and vibrant cultural exchange. The medieval period saw Babur, a Ferghana-born Timurid prince, establish the Mughal Empire in India (1526), creating enduring linguistic, architectural, and culinary links. In modern times, diplomatic relations were established in 1992 after Uzbekistan's independence from the USSR. The 2015 Joint Declaration on Strategic Partnership elevated ties, and the 2018 visit saw the signing of 17 agreements covering nuclear energy, pharmaceuticals, and tourism. The August 2024 visit's highlight — PM Modi joining a yoga session — exemplifies India's soft power diplomacy. Since the UN's 2014 adoption of June 21 as International Day of Yoga (Resolution 69/131), yoga has become a flagship cultural export. In Uzbekistan, where yoga centres have proliferated since 2015, this public participation reinforces people-to-people bonds and projects India as a civilizational state promoting holistic wellness. Beyond symbolism, the visit advanced concrete cooperation: both sides reviewed progress on the India-Uzbekistan Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism, the Pharmaceutical Joint Working Group (critical as Uzbekistan imports 80% of its medicines, with India supplying 15%), and the India-Central Asia Dialogue mechanism institutionalized in 2019. Strategically, Uzbekistan is pivotal for India's connectivity ambitions. The International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) — a 7,200-km multi-modal network linking Mumbai to Moscow via Iran's Chabahar Port — relies on Central Asian transit. Uzbekistan's accession to the TIR Convention (2018) and the Lapis Lazuli Corridor (Afghanistan-Turkmenistan-Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkey) complement INSTC. The 2018 Agreement on Trade and Economic Cooperation targets $1 billion bilateral trade (currently ~$600 million), with focus on Indian IT, pharmaceuticals, and Uzbek uranium (India signed a 2019 long-term uranium supply deal). Defence cooperation, including joint exercises like "Dustlik" (launched 2019), addresses shared concerns over terrorism emanating from Afghanistan post-2021 Taliban takeover. Constitutionally, Article 51(c) of the Directive Principles of State Policy mandates the state to "foster respect for international law and treaty obligations," guiding such diplomatic engagements. Article 246 read with Seventh Schedule, List I (Union List) entries 10-14 empowers Parliament exclusively over foreign affairs, treaties, and war/peace — the legal basis for the Prime Minister's diplomatic actions. The visit also aligns with India's SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation) strategy; as a 2017 SCO member, India uses the platform for counter-terrorism (via RATS — Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure) and energy security dialogue, with Uzbekistan assuming SCO presidency in 2024. Future implications are profound. With China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) expanding in Central Asia — Uzbekistan signed 50+ BRI projects worth $20+ billion — India must accelerate INSTC operationalization and Chabahar Port development (where India committed $85 million in 2024). The proposed India-Central Asia Summit mechanism (first held 2022) needs regularization. Moreover, Uzbekistan's 2023 constitutional reforms enhancing human rights and investment climate offer openings for Indian private sector. For aspirants, this visit encapsulates India's multi-vector diplomacy: balancing great powers, leveraging civilizational links, and pursuing pragmatic economic-security convergence in a region where history and geography make India a natural stakeholder.