Cooperation In Digital Payments, Space, Agriculture, MSME, And Pharmaceutical Sectors Will Strengthen India-Uzbekistan Ties

Union Minister for Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, and Textiles Piyush Goyal said the increased cooperation in seven growing areas such as Digital Payments, Space Cooperation, Agri and Dairy, Pharma, Gems and Jewellery, Micro Small and Medium Enterprises(MSME), and Inter-regional Cooperation between India and Uzbekistan will assist enhance economic ties.

The minister also stated that both countries should look into measures to strengthen connections in order to facilitate trade. Furthermore, despite the COVID pandemic, he stated that interactions and trade had expanded in recent years.

Bilateral trade between India and Uzbekistan increased 38.5 percent from $247 million in 2019-20 to $342 million in 2021-22. Furthermore, he stated that good relations with Uzbekistan are critical to India's objective of an integrated extended neighborhood. He made the remarks while speaking at the 13th session of the India-Uzbekistan Intergovernmental Commission (IGC) here recently.

Mr. Jamshid Khodjaev, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Investments and Foreign Trade, headed the Uzbek delegation. He stated that he is looking forward to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Uzbekistan in September. He stated that the visit will be used to significantly improve bilateral relations in numerous areas of mutual interest.