Page 10 - The Indian EYE 090426

OPINION SEPTEMBER 04, 2026 | The Indian Eye 10

PM Modi Travels to

Central Asia:

A Welcome Move

There is immense alignment of views and positions on most regional and global

issues between India and Central Asia

Graphic courtesy: IDSA

diversifying and expanding bilateral PM to do so. The last 10 years have he last five years have wit-
ASHOK SAJJANHAR
ties. witnessed an appreciable upswing nessed appreciable interac-
These visits will, inter alia, pro- in bilateral partnership and engage- Ttion and exchange of visits
rime Minister Narendra Modi vide a significant impetus to India’s ment with these countries. The rap- between leaders of India and Central
will travel to Bishkek, Kyrgyz-
Pstan, to participate in the 25th engagement with Central Asia, which idly changing dynamics of Central Asia, particularly of Uzbekistan and
India characterizes as its extended
Kazakhstan. The Prime Minister of
Asia’s regional and global political,
Summit of SCO (Shanghai Cooper- neighborhood. The region has been strategic, and economic architecture Kazakhstan visited India in Febru-
ation Organization) Heads of State given sharper focus since PM Modi present a significant opportunity ary 2026 to participate in the India
on 31 August–1 September 2026. In assumed power in 2014. In addition for India to diversify and deepen its AI Summit. Kazakh Deputy PM/FM
addition to meeting Sadyr Japarov, to other initiatives, India organized partnerships with these countries. paid a bilateral visit to India in No-
the President of Kyrgyzstan, he is the first India–Central Asia Sum- In the context of SCO Summits, vember 2023 to promote exchanges
also likely to meet Russian President mit in a virtual format at the level of PM Modi visited Tashkent, Uzbeki- in bilateral trade, critical minerals
Vladimir Putin and Chinese Pres- Heads of State/ Government on 27 stan, in 2016; Astana, Kazakhstan, in and connectivity. He was in India in
ident Xi Jinping, as well as leaders January 2022. Several far-reaching 2017; Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, in 2019; June 2025 and December 2021 for
of the other Central Asian coun- decisions were adopted at this Sum- and Samarkand, Uzbekistan, in the fourth and third India–Central
tries—Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turk- mit. 2022. The PM interacted, inter alia, Asia Dialogues. External Affairs
menistan and Uzbekistan—who are with SCO Central Asian leaders on Minister S. Jaishankar travelled to
expected to be present. Evolution of Ties in Modi Era the sidelines of other SCO Summits Astana in July 2024 and October
Before his visit to Bishkek, PM
Modi is also likely to visit Tashkent, ust over a year after becom- in Ufa, Russia, in 2015; in Qingdao, 2021 for SCO and CICA meetings,
China, in 2018, etc.
respectively.
Uzbekistan, on a bilateral visit to ing PM, Modi travelled to all PM Modi and President Shavkat
hold discussions with Uzbek Presi- Jfive Central Asian countries in The Way Forward
dent Shavkat Mirziyoyev on further July 2015, becoming the first Indian Continued on next page... >>

www.TheIndianEYE.com