On behalf of the Indian community in Uzbekistan and Embassy of India, I extend heartfelt welcome to the Hon’ble Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman and her delegation to Uzbekistan.

2. Minister’s visit to Uzbekistan is in connection with the 9th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). During her visit, she called on the Hon’ble President of Uzbekistan Mr. Shavkat Mirziyoyev.  She met Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy & Finance Mr. Jamshid Kuchkarov, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Investment & Foreign Trade Mr. Jamshid Khodjayev and Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade Mr. Laziz Kudratov and held productive discussions.  This morning FM and Deputy Prime Minister Mr. Jamshid Khodjayev signed Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) on the sidelines of the India-Uzbekistan Business Forum.  Minister is being accompanied by an important business delegation, who are present here amongst us.  Holding of this Forum and signing of BIT gives a huge boost to trade and investment on both sides.

3. Hon’ble Minister has been keen to meet members of the Indian community who have played an important role in our growing ties with Uzbekistan.  Madam, Indian community here is dynamic and enterprising and has been a wonderful bridge between our two countries.  Your ongoing visit to Uzbekistan imparts huge momentum to our strategic ties.  The last visit by a Cabinet Minister was in September 2022 and therefore Indian community is very pleased to receive you in Tashkent.  They are eager to hear from you and interact with you and before that I invite Shri Ashok Tiwary, who has been in Uzbekistan for over 20 years and is a recipient of Pravasi Bharatiya Samman, to speak very briefly on behalf of the community.