Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks in Tashkent have placed India-Uzbekistan defence cooperation at the centre of the countries’ evolving strategic partnership.
TASHKENT, UZBEKISTAN: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for a deeper India-Uzbekistan defence and security partnership, stressing that the close cooperation between the two countries reflects a relationship built on deep mutual trust. Speaking in Tashkent, Modi said India and Uzbekistan would work towards establishing more direct linkages between their defence industries, while also promoting co-production and co-development in the defence sector.
Modi’s remarks come against the backdrop of an expanding India-Uzbekistan strategic relationship that covers defence, counter-terrorism, trade, investment, education, digital technology and people-to-people ties. Defence cooperation has emerged as an important component of the bilateral partnership, with both countries using institutional mechanisms and military exercises to strengthen coordination.
In his remarks in Tashkent, Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the importance of mutual trust in the India-Uzbekistan defence relationship. He said the close defence and security cooperation between the two countries reflected the depth of confidence that New Delhi and Tashkent have developed over the years.
The emphasis on trust is significant because India and Uzbekistan have gradually expanded defence engagement through regular consultations, military exchanges and joint exercises. The two countries established a Joint Working Group on defence cooperation in 2019 to provide an institutional framework for discussing bilateral defence issues.
According to India’s Ministry of External Affairs, the fourth meeting of the India-Uzbekistan Joint Working Group on Defence was held in Uzbekistan in April 2024. The fifth meeting was subsequently held in New Delhi on August 11, 2025. These meetings have provided a platform for both sides to discuss defence cooperation and identify areas where bilateral engagement can be expanded.