PM Modi Honours Lal Bahadur Shastri in Tashkent, Strengthens India-Uzbekistan Ties
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday paid floral tribute at the Shastri Memorial in Tashkent, honouring the legacy of former prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, who died in the Uzbek capital in 1966. Together with Uzbekistan's President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Modi also planted a tree in the gardens of the Presidential Palace, symbolising the two nations' shared commitment to environmental sustainability.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) noted that Shastri's timeless call of 'Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan' continues to inspire generations, adding that his life embodied simplicity, courage, and unwavering devotion to the nation. Shastri was India's second Prime Minister and passed away on January 11, 1966, just hours after signing the historic Tashkent Declaration, which formally ended the 1965 India-Pakistan War.
The tree-planting ceremony was held under India's 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' initiative and Uzbekistan's 'Yashil Makon' green efforts, reflecting the shared commitment of both countries towards nurturing a greener and more sustainable future, the MEA said.
The gesture followed delegation-level talks between Modi and Mirziyoyev at the Kuksaroy Presidential Palace, as part of the Prime Minister's two-day state visit to Uzbekistan. During the talks, the two leaders held wide-ranging discussions on strengthening the bilateral strategic partnership, covering 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.
A key outcome of the talks was the decision to elevate the bilateral strategic partnership to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The two sides also agreed to set a bilateral trade target of USD 5 billion by 2030 and called for a Business Summit to deepen economic and investment ties.
In recognition of his contribution to strengthening friendship between the two countries, Modi was conferred the 'Oliy Darajali Do'stlik' Order, Uzbekistan's highest honour for foreign leaders, by President Mirziyoyev.
Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister attended a yoga session hosted by the Yoga Federation of Uzbekistan. He arrived in Tashkent on Saturday and received a warm welcome from Mirziyoyev at the airport. After arrival, Modi visited Yangi Uzbekistan Park and laid a wreath at the Independence Monument alongside the Uzbek president. He also met members of the Indian community at a hotel in Tashkent.
The visit to Uzbekistan is the first leg of a two-nation tour that will take Modi to Kyrgyzstan from August 31 to September 1 for the 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit.
India and Uzbekistan have historically shared close cultural and economic ties. The Tashkent Declaration, signed in 1966, remains a significant milestone in the region's diplomatic history. The current visit aims to build on that legacy, focusing on modern cooperation in areas such as digital infrastructure, critical minerals, and regional security, while reaffirming the people-to-people bonds that unite the two nations.
