In this context, the visit by Army Chief Gen Manoj Pande to Uzbekistan in April this year and the gift of an IT Laboratory to the Uzbek Academy of Armed Forces was very timely to reinvigorate bilateral ties.
Simultaneously, bilateral trade is far below its potential standing, currently at an estimated $700 million. This is in large part due to connectivity issues as Uzbekistan is a landlocked country and the political leadership has doubled down on overcoming this geographical tyranny by actively pursuing and participating in connectivity projects, thereby consistently improving the environment for trade and investment.
One way this can be rectified is by taking Indian manufacturing to Uzbekistan, making it a manufacturing hub for Indian products, and then marketing them to other countries in the region.
There are a number of Indian companies already manufacturing in Uzbekistan, especially pharmaceutical ones. But there needs to be more of this with an arrangement that would be beneficial to both countries, helping increase India’s footprint in this strategically important region.
Uzbekistan is also important for stabilising Afghanistan and for combatting hate-filled ideologies like that of the IS-KP (Islamic State – Khorasan Province), which has again reared its ugly head in the region. With its insistence on keeping the country pluralistic and secular, while also allowing freedom of religion to its people, Uzbekistan offers vital lessons for neighbouring countries, particularly Afghanistan. At the same time, it has considerable experience and success in battling terrorism and secessionism.
All of this makes Uzbekistan a valuable partner for India. This is why the latter should remain invested in that country’s development and well-being. For in a tired, fractured world, Uzbekistan remains a beacon of light.
(Aditi Bhaduri is a journalist and political analyst. She tweets @aditijan. This is an opinion piece. The views expressed above are the author’s own. The Quint neither endorses nor is responsible for the same.)
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Publish date : 2024-09-01 00:15:00
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