Modi honours Shastri in Tashkent, upgrades India-Uzbekistan partnership

Modi paid tribute to Lal Bahadur Shastri in Tashkent and held talks with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. The visit upgraded India-Uzbekistan ties and set an ambitious trade and investment roadmap.Stock photo used for illustrationPrime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday paid floral tribute at the Shastri Memorial in Tashkent, honouring former prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, and later jointly planted a tree with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. The events took place during Modi's two-day state visit to Uzbekistan, where the two sides also held wide-ranging talks on expanding bilateral ties.During the visit, India and Uzbekistan decided to elevate their Strategic Partnership to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The two countries also set a bilateral trade target of USD 5 billion by 2030 and called for a Business Summit to deepen economic and investment ties.According to the Ministry of External Affairs, Shastri's "timeless call of 'Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan' continues to inspire generations", and his "life embodied simplicity, courage and unwavering devotion to the nation". India's second prime minister died in the Uzbek capital on January 11, 1966, hours after signing the Tashkent Declaration that ended the 1965 Indo-Pakistan War.Modi and Mirziyoyev also planted a tree in the Presidential Palace garden under India's "Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam" initiative and Uzbekistan's "Yashil Makon" green efforts. The MEA said, "The gesture reflects the shared commitment of India and Uzbekistan towards nurturing a greener and more sustainable future." The tree-planting ceremony followed delegation-level talks at the Kuksaroy Presidential Palace. The two leaders discussed trade and investment, innovation and start-ups, digital public infrastructure and UPI, defence and security, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, critical minerals, agriculture, education, tourism, space and people-to-people exchanges. Mirziyoyev also conferred the "Oliy Darajali Do'stlik" Order, Uzbekistan's highest honour for foreign leaders, on Modi for his contribution to strengthening friendship between the two countries.Earlier in the day, Modi attended a yoga session hosted by the Yoga Federation of Uzbekistan. He arrived in Tashkent on Saturday and was received by Mirziyoyev at the airport. After his arrival, he visited Yangi Uzbekistan Park and laid a wreath at the Independence Monument with the Uzbek president, and also met members of the Indian community at a hotel in Tashkent. The Uzbekistan visit is the first leg of Modi's two-nation trip, after which he will travel to Kyrgyzstan from August 31 to September 1 for the 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit. The visit combined ceremonial engagements and substantive talks, with Modi paying tribute to Shastri, joining Mirziyoyev for a symbolic tree-planting ceremony, and advancing India-Uzbekistan ties through an upgraded partnership and new trade goals.With PTI Inputs- EndsPublished By: India Today Web Desk Published On: Aug 30, 2026 19:06 IST