AI-generated summary
India has been a full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation since 2017. This marks Modi's fourth visit to Uzbekistan, reflecting sustained diplomatic engagement with Central Asian nations.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will begin a four-day visit to Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan on Saturday, seeking to strengthen India’s ties with Central Asia and advance regional cooperation. In Tashkent, he will hold talks with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on trade, defence, energy and education before attending the SCO Summit in Bishkek.
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is embarking on a crucial four-day, two-nation diplomatic visit to Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan from Saturday to Tuesday, aimed at strengthening ties with India's extended neighbourhood and driving regional cooperation.
As outlined by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the Prime Minister's tour begins with a State Visit to Tashkent on August 29-30 at the invitation of Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
Also read: PM Modi to meet Putin during visit to Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan
Marking his fourth visit to Uzbekistan, PM Modi will hold bilateral delegation-level talks to deepen the strategic partnership between the two nations across trade, investment, defence, digital connectivity, energy, and education.
Notably, both leaders will align their long-term growth roadmaps, mapping out synergies between the 'Viksit Bharat 2047' vision and the 'Uzbekistan-2030' strategy. During his time in Tashkent, PM Modi will also pay homage at the Shastri Memorial and visit the Mahatma Gandhi Centre at the Tashkent State University of Oriental Studies.
Live Events
Following his engagements in Uzbekistan, PM Modi will head to Bishkek at the invitation of Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov to attend the 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit on August 31 - September 1.
The high-level gathering marks the 25th anniversary of the SCO, where India has served as a full member since 2017.
Also read: FM Sitharaman lands in US for six-day visit for G20 talks
Addressing the assembly of regional leaders, PM Modi is set to pitch India's strategic priorities focused on Security, Connectivity, and Opportunity. In addition to attending the main summit and holding bilateral discussions on the sidelines, the Prime Minister will attend the opening ceremony of the 6th World Nomad Games, celebrating Central Asia's cultural heritage.
The high-profile tour underscores New Delhi's sustained effort to expand its strategic footprint, economic integration, and security links across Central Asia.
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
India and Uzbekistan will sign agreements on defence cooperation and energy collaboration
Likely · Within days
Modi will hold bilateral talks with Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov on the sidelines of the SCO Summit
Very likely · Within days
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay visited Puzhal Central Prison in Chennai on Friday, interacted with inmates, and urged authorities to provide rehabilitation, education, and vocational training based on inmates' interests. He emphasized reading, inspected prison facilities including kitchen and medical areas, and distinguished between unintentional mistakes and deliberate wrongdoing. The visit followed assembly discussions on prison grants, with additional body cameras sanctioned and a new stitching allowance introduced for staff. Prison department data shows 23,608 inmates across 125 prisons in Tamil Nadu, including 2,076 illiterate and 1,317 graduates.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi began a four-day visit to Uzbekistan and the Kyrgyz Republic on Saturday, holding bilateral talks with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in Tashkent before attending the 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit in Bishkek, where leaders including Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping are expected. The visit focuses on strengthening strategic partnerships in Central Asia across trade, investment, defence, energy, and people-to-people ties.
US President Donald Trump announced an agreement granting the US control over 65 billion barrels of Venezuela's oil reserves, negotiated by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Venezuela's interim President Delcy Rodriguez. The announcement follows the January removal of Nicolás Maduro and comes amid high US petrol prices and the ongoing Iran war, which has reached its six-month mark.
Icelandic voters are deciding in a referendum whether to resume European Union membership negotiations, a debate shaped by U.S. President Donald Trump's interest in Greenland and concerns over national sovereignty and fishing rights. A yes vote would restart talks on 35 policy areas, including fisheries, while a no vote would stall the issue for a generation. The government frames EU membership as a potential bulwark against external threats, though opponents argue Iceland already benefits from European integration without full membership.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi departed on Saturday for a two-nation visit to Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, where he will attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit in Bishkek and undertake a State Visit to Tashkent to advance India's vision for security, connectivity, and opportunity, strengthen strategic partnerships, and deepen civilisational ties with Central Asia.
A federal judge rejected Donald Trump's attempt to dismiss his conviction based on presidential immunity grounds, marking the third time Judge Alvin Hellerstein blocked Trump's effort to move the state case to federal court. The conviction made Trump the first former and current U.S. president convicted of a crime.