PM MODI IN UZBEKISTAN: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, for a two-day visit aimed at strengthening India-Uzbekistan bilateral relations.

PM Modi was welcomed by Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, with the two leaders set to hold discussions on a wide range of issues of mutual importance.

The visit will focus on the entire spectrum of India-Uzbekistan relations, including their longstanding civilizational and people-to-people ties. Key areas of cooperation include trade and investment, defence, digital connectivity, energy, education and people-to-people exchanges.

Tashkent has been decorated with Indian flags ahead of the Prime Minister's visit, reflecting the importance attached to the bilateral relationship.

During his visit, PM Modi is also scheduled to visit Yangi Uzbekistan Park and participate in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Independence Monument, a traditional diplomatic gesture of respect.

The Yangi Uzbekistan Park spans approximately 104 hectares and is described as one of the country's major recreational spaces.

PM Modi in Uzbekistan | PM Narendra Modi Arrives In Tashkent For Two-Day Visit 

Uzbekistan's President Shavkat Mirziyoyev was re-elected for a seven-year term as he won Sunday's (July 9) snap election with 87 per cent of the vote, the Central Election Commission said on Monday, citing preliminary results.

Uzbekistan's President Shavkat Mirziyoyev was re-elected for a seven-year term as he won Sunday's (July 9) snap election with 87 per cent of the vote, the Central Election Commission said on Monday, citing preliminary results. With this victory, President Mirziyoyev will remain in office until 2030. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping congratulated Mirziyoyev on his re-election. Mirziyoyev, who has been in power since 2016, called for the snap election after changing the constitution through a referendum which reset his term count and extended the presidential term to seven years from five. Sunday's presidential election in Uzbekistan was the seventh such poll held since gaining independence in 1991. More than 10,000 polling stations were set up across the country for Sunday's vote. Before the election, citizens told AFP that they would be voting for Mirziyoyev, who competed against three largely unknown candidates. "These are my first elections. I will be voting for Shavkat Mirziyoyev because I want there to be more opportunities for young people and places to study," 18-year-old Milana Yuldasheva said. The poll campaign President Mirziyoyev focused his election campaign on the economy and education. The 65-year-old has opened up Uzbekistan to foreign trade and investment while also easing restrictions on religious and political freedoms. Mirziyoyev also said that he aimed to double the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to $160 billion soon. Mirziyoyev had previously served as the prime minister under Islam Karimov before winning his first term in 2016 and getting re-elected in 2021. An artificial opposition Despite the socio-economic reforms, Uzbekistan remains a tightly controlled state. According to a report by the news agency AFP, non-government organisations (NGOs) have said that human rights records are better than under Karimov but there is still much to improve, and the authorities have shown no sign of allowing a real opposition to emerge. Speaking to AFP ahead of the snap election, Uzbek political expert Farkhod Talipov said, "The victory of the incumbent president is obvious. All the other candidates are completely unknown and unpopular. Their candidacies are just an artificial way of showing a political struggle that does not exist." On the other hand, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) said the campaign had been "low-key, mirroring lack of opposition to the incumbent." (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Uzbekistan snap election: President Mirziyoyev re-elected for seven-year term, to be in office until 2030

Uzbekistan seems to be becoming India's launchpad to Central Asia. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has been to India twice in the last four months. First on a state visit in September and then visiting India last week for the Vibrant Gujarat summit in Gandhinagar. Uzbek Ambassador Farhod Arziev spoke to WION on a range of issues, from India-Uzbekistan connectivity, to trade, and the "dynamic" relationship between the two countries.&nbsp;

WION: How do you see connectivity between the two countries?&nbsp; 
Farhod Arziev: I would like to inform you just before the visit of President (Shavkat Mirziyoyev), we have hosted important event — India-Central Asia Dialogues — at the level of foreign ministers in which foreign minister of Afghanistan also participated. For the first time, such format was created and the meeting took place in Samarkand. And all ministers of FMs of central Asia, India and Afghanistan participated. One of the key items of discussion was to expand areas of connectivity between India and central Asia and use transit potential of Afghanistan. So now, discussion among the parties, among Central Asia and India is going on to increase the connectivity opportunities which will create new corridors between Uzbekistan, central Asia and India. We see great transit potential of Afghanistan in this regard. And we believe this will have practical implication and it will be beneficial for all parties.&nbsp;

WION: How do you see the role of Chabahar port?&nbsp; 
FA: Uzbekistan is not only landlocked but double landlocked. Any projects that can help Uzbekistan to reach the international market, we see positively. The projects like Chabahar creates an opportunity for central Asia. We believe it will play a very important, practical role in expanding trade and economic relations.&nbsp;

WION: How do you see ties between the two countries?&nbsp; 
FA: For the past four months, we have had the highest level visits. The second time our president visited on 17th and 18th January and attended the Vibrant Gujarat investment summit. I would like to stress the intensity of visits at the highest level shows how close and how dynamic the relationship between the two countries is. Our relations are getting closer at various levels — political, economic, trade and cultural. In all areas, it is of a comprehensive character. We had a country pavilion where we showed made-in-Uzbekistan products. Our president gave a speech (at Vibrant Gujarat) to highlight key areas of cooperation. Our president highlighted the importance of connectivity between India and Uzbekistan as a means to expand investment. Idea is to establish a railway line project that can connect Uzbekistan and India via &nbsp;Afghanistan through the Chabahar Port. We believe with expanding connectivity, options on trade and volume of trade will increase. Regional cooperation was also highlighted. &nbsp;&nbsp;

WION: How do you see Investment ties? &nbsp;&nbsp; 
FA:&nbsp;Investment and economic cooperation is an important part of Uzbek-India dialogue. Investment was an important part of the agenda of our president when he came on the state visit last year in October. This time, in his talks with PM Modi, importance of investment cooperation was highlighted separately. And I am happy to inform you as part of the visit, a very important and strategic agreement on the supply of Uzbek uranium to India and exchange of documents took place in front of the two leaders at the Vibrant Gujarat summit. Also, to encourage investment projects, we have signed an agreement between EXIM Bank of India and State Investment Committee of Uzbekistan. They have inked framework agreement on line of credit. We are talking about a soft loan. We are getting a line of credit at the volume of 200 million US dollars to implement social and infrastructure projects. We are working with the private sector of India. &nbsp;

Uzbekistan seems to be becoming India's launchpad to Central Asia. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has been to India twice in the last four months. First on a state visit in September and then visiting India last week for the Vibrant Gujarat summit in Gandhinagar.

Uzbekistan seems to be becoming India's launchpad to Central Asia. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has been to India twice in the last four months. First on a state visit in September and then visiting India last week for the Vibrant Gujarat summit in Gandhinagar. Uzbek Ambassador Farhod Arziev spoke to WION on a range of issues, from India-Uzbekistan connectivity, to trade, and the "dynamic" relationship between the two countries. WION: How do you see connectivity between the two countries? Farhod Arziev: I would like to inform you just before the visit of President (Shavkat Mirziyoyev), we have hosted important event — India-Central Asia Dialogues — at the level of foreign ministers in which foreign minister of Afghanistan also participated. For the first time, such format was created and the meeting took place in Samarkand. And all ministers of FMs of central Asia, India and Afghanistan participated. One of the key items of discussion was to expand areas of connectivity between India and central Asia and use transit potential of Afghanistan. So now, discussion among the parties, among Central Asia and India is going on to increase the connectivity opportunities which will create new corridors between Uzbekistan, central Asia and India. We see great transit potential of Afghanistan in this regard. And we believe this will have practical implication and it will be beneficial for all parties. WION: How do you see the role of Chabahar port? FA: Uzbekistan is not only landlocked but double landlocked. Any projects that can help Uzbekistan to reach the international market, we see positively. The projects like Chabahar creates an opportunity for central Asia. We believe it will play a very important, practical role in expanding trade and economic relations. WION: How do you see ties between the two countries? FA: For the past four months, we have had the highest level visits. The second time our president visited on 17th and 18th January and attended the Vibrant Gujarat investment summit. I would like to stress the intensity of visits at the highest level shows how close and how dynamic the relationship between the two countries is. Our relations are getting closer at various levels — political, economic, trade and cultural. In all areas, it is of a comprehensive character. We had a country pavilion where we showed made-in-Uzbekistan products. Our president gave a speech (at Vibrant Gujarat) to highlight key areas of cooperation. Our president highlighted the importance of connectivity between India and Uzbekistan as a means to expand investment. Idea is to establish a railway line project that can connect Uzbekistan and India via Afghanistan through the Chabahar Port. We believe with expanding connectivity, options on trade and volume of trade will increase. Regional cooperation was also highlighted. WION: How do you see Investment ties? FA: Investment and economic cooperation is an important part of Uzbek-India dialogue. Investment was an important part of the agenda of our president when he came on the state visit last year in October. This time, in his talks with PM Modi, importance of investment cooperation was highlighted separately. And I am happy to inform you as part of the visit, a very important and strategic agreement on the supply of Uzbek uranium to India and exchange of documents took place in front of the two leaders at the Vibrant Gujarat summit. Also, to encourage investment projects, we have signed an agreement between EXIM Bank of India and State Investment Committee of Uzbekistan. They have inked framework agreement on line of credit. We are talking about a soft loan. We are getting a line of credit at the volume of 200 million US dollars to implement social and infrastructure projects. We are working with the private sector of India.

Uzbek ambassador proposes India-Uzbekistan rail line through Afghanistan, Chabahar port

Uzbekistan told US&nbsp;President Donald Trump on Wednesday it was ready to do everything it could to help investigate an attack in New York in which an Uzbek-born man is suspected of killing eight people by mowing them down in a truck.

Uzbekistan spoke out after a US&nbsp;law enforcement official described the suspect as a US&nbsp;immigrant born in Uzbekistan, a landlocked, predominantly Muslim country in Central Asia that was part of the Soviet Union until its collapse in 1991

Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev made the offer of help in a letter of condolence to Trump in which he condemned the attack as &quot;extremely brutal&quot; and said there could be no justification for such violence.

&quot;From our side, we are ready to use all our power and resources to cooperate in the investigation of this terrorist act,&quot; Mirziyoyev wrote in the letter, which was posted on his country&#39;s Foreign Ministry&#39;s website.

&quot;We express our solidarity with the US&nbsp;people.&quot;

The attack - the bloodiest single attack on New Yorkers since Sept. 11, 2001, when suicide hijackers crashed two jetliners into the World Trade Center-&nbsp;is a challenge for Mirziyoyev who assumed office at the end of 2016 and is trying to slowly open up his country after decades of authoritarian rule.

It also shines an uncomfortable light on Islamist militancy in the wider region which has supplied Islamic State in Syria and Iraq with thousands of fighters.

An Uzbek Foreign Ministry official told reporters earlier on Wednesday it was investigating reports that the attacker was a citizen of the Central Asian nation.

If the attacker&#39;s identity is confirmed, it would be the fourth deadly attack to be carried out by an Uzbek national or ethnic Uzbek this year.

On New Year&#39;s day, an Uzbek gunman burst into a nightclub in the Turkish city of Istanbul and killed 39 people.

In April, an ethnic Uzbek man born in Kyrgyzstan blew up a metro train in the Russian city of St Petersburg, killing at least 14 people, and that same month an Uzbek man rammed a truck into a crowd in Stockholm, killing four people.

All the attacks were linked to or claimed by Islamic State.

&quot;NOT VERY POPULAR&quot;

US&nbsp;police declined to publicly identify the man, but a source familiar with the investigation said his name was Sayfullo Saipov, 29.

CNN and other US media said Saipov had left a note saying he carried out the attack in the name of Islamic State and that he had shouted &quot;Allahu Akbar&quot; - Arabic for &quot;God is greatest&quot; - when he jumped out of his truck.

He had emigrated to the United States in 2010 and lived in Florida, other US&nbsp;media reported.

An acquaintance of Saipov told Reuters he had originally come from Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan.

Mirrakhmat Muminov, a truck driver and Uzbek community activist who lives in Stow, Ohio, told sources by phone that he knew Saipov and had spoken to him in recent months.

He said Saipov had lived in Stow two or three years ago, that they had met through the local Uzbek community, and that Saipov had also worked there as a truck driver.

Muminov said he had heard about the attack from members of the local Uzbek community, some of whom he said were getting ready to be questioned by the authorities.

He said he had no first-hand information about whether Saipov had carried out the attack.

&ldquo;He was spontaneously religious,&quot; said Muminov. &quot;He started studying religion in the United States,&quot; something he said it was hard to do in Uzbekistan where study of Islam is tightly controlled.

Muminov painted a picture of a man who was struggling to make it in the United States, had few friends, and poor communication and English language skills.

&quot;He was withdrawn, nervous, sometimes aggressive. Because of that he was lonely, he lived in his own world. He was not very popular,&rdquo; said Muminov.

&quot;I heard that his third son was born a couple months ago.&rdquo;

Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev made the offer of help in a letter of condolence to Trump.

Uzbekistan told US President Donald Trump on Wednesday it was ready to do everything it could to help investigate an attack in New York in which an Uzbek-born man is suspected of killing eight people by mowing them down in a truck. Uzbekistan spoke out after a US law enforcement official described the suspect as a US immigrant born in Uzbekistan, a landlocked, predominantly Muslim country in Central Asia that was part of the Soviet Union until its collapse in 1991 Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev made the offer of help in a letter of condolence to Trump in which he condemned the attack as "extremely brutal" and said there could be no justification for such violence. "From our side, we are ready to use all our power and resources to cooperate in the investigation of this terrorist act," Mirziyoyev wrote in the letter, which was posted on his country's Foreign Ministry's website. "We express our solidarity with the US people." The attack - the bloodiest single attack on New Yorkers since Sept. 11, 2001, when suicide hijackers crashed two jetliners into the World Trade Center- is a challenge for Mirziyoyev who assumed office at the end of 2016 and is trying to slowly open up his country after decades of authoritarian rule. It also shines an uncomfortable light on Islamist militancy in the wider region which has supplied Islamic State in Syria and Iraq with thousands of fighters. An Uzbek Foreign Ministry official told reporters earlier on Wednesday it was investigating reports that the attacker was a citizen of the Central Asian nation. If the attacker's identity is confirmed, it would be the fourth deadly attack to be carried out by an Uzbek national or ethnic Uzbek this year. On New Year's day, an Uzbek gunman burst into a nightclub in the Turkish city of Istanbul and killed 39 people. In April, an ethnic Uzbek man born in Kyrgyzstan blew up a metro train in the Russian city of St Petersburg, killing at least 14 people, and that same month an Uzbek man rammed a truck into a crowd in Stockholm, killing four people. All the attacks were linked to or claimed by Islamic State. "NOT VERY POPULAR" US police declined to publicly identify the man, but a source familiar with the investigation said his name was Sayfullo Saipov, 29. CNN and other US media said Saipov had left a note saying he carried out the attack in the name of Islamic State and that he had shouted "Allahu Akbar" - Arabic for "God is greatest" - when he jumped out of his truck. He had emigrated to the United States in 2010 and lived in Florida, other US media reported. An acquaintance of Saipov told Reuters he had originally come from Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan. Mirrakhmat Muminov, a truck driver and Uzbek community activist who lives in Stow, Ohio, told sources by phone that he knew Saipov and had spoken to him in recent months. He said Saipov had lived in Stow two or three years ago, that they had met through the local Uzbek community, and that Saipov had also worked there as a truck driver. Muminov said he had heard about the attack from members of the local Uzbek community, some of whom he said were getting ready to be questioned by the authorities. He said he had no first-hand information about whether Saipov had carried out the attack. “He was spontaneously religious," said Muminov. "He started studying religion in the United States," something he said it was hard to do in Uzbekistan where study of Islam is tightly controlled. Muminov painted a picture of a man who was struggling to make it in the United States, had few friends, and poor communication and English language skills. "He was withdrawn, nervous, sometimes aggressive. Because of that he was lonely, he lived in his own world. He was not very popular,” said Muminov. "I heard that his third son was born a couple months ago.”

Uzbekistan tells Trump it is ready to help investigate New York attack