During Prime Minister Narendra Modi's August 29-30 visit to Uzbekistan, NPCI International Payments Ltd and Uzbekistan's National Interbank Processing Centre signed a commercial agreement that will allow Indian UPI apps to scan Uzbekistan's UZQR national QR codes for merchant payments. According to the latest reports, this arrangement could make payments easier for Indian travelers and strengthen India's digital public infrastructure footprint overseas. The implementation will enable Indian UPI apps to scan national QR codes (UZQR) for merchant payments in the Central Asian nation, facilitating digital transactions between the two countries. The digital payments integration represents a significant step in expanding India's digital infrastructure internationally and enhancing economic cooperation.
India and Uzbekistan have elevated their bilateral relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, signalling a deeper and more structured engagement between the two countries. As reported by Business Standard, the partnership encompasses 11 agreements covering trade, investment, infrastructure, critical minerals, mining, defence and security, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, health, information technology, digital public infrastructure, culture, tourism, and education. The framework provides a broader institutional mechanism for long-term cooperation and creates new avenues for economic engagement between the two nations. Bilateral trade currently stands at more than $1 billion, with the partnership targeting $5 billion in annual trade by 2030. The new Comprehensive Strategic Partnership provides a broader framework for India to expand its economic and strategic presence in Central Asia, with mining and mineral cooperation becoming particularly significant as India seeks reliable supply chains for critical resources.
During the delegation-level talks in Tashkent on August 30, 2026, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev announced 30-day visa-free entry for Indian passport holders, allowing Indian citizens to visit the Central Asian country without obtaining an advance e-visa or tourist visa. As reported by NDTV, this initiative is intended to boost tourism, strengthen people-to-people ties and facilitate business exchanges as India and Uzbekistan expand their economic partnership. President Mirziyoyev described India as a reliable strategic partner and highlighted that bilateral trade crossed $1 billion for the first time last year. The Uzbek president also emphasized the expansion of business links, noting that the number of joint ventures between the two countries has increased sevenfold in recent years. For Indian tourists, Uzbekistan offers historic landmarks including Registan Square in Samarkand, Bibi-Khanum Mosque, Shahi Zinda, and Gur-e-Amir Mausoleum, along with traditional experiences such as plov, manti, shashlik, and yurt stays.
During the bilateral talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the two countries agreed to establish a long-term arrangement for uranium supply following discussions on expanding cooperation in clean energy. As reported by the Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi has been looking at procuring Uranium from Uzbekistan to produce nuclear energy for civilian purposes. "We will make a long-term arrangement for the supply of uranium," Prime Minister Modi said during the talks. Uzbekistan, which possesses significant uranium resources and is one of the world's top five uranium suppliers, is expected to become an important partner in India's efforts to diversify its nuclear fuel supplies. This development represents a significant advancement in India's nuclear energy strategy and strengthens the bilateral energy cooperation framework between the two nations. The joint statement revealed that both sides will explore cooperation in geology, mining, nuclear energy, industrial cooperation, and critical and strategic minerals, including projects for the processing of mineral resources, production of value-added products and recycling initiatives. According to Business Standard, India and Uzbekistan had signed a long-term contract in January 2019 under which Uzbekistan's Navoi Mining and Metallurgical Company was to supply 1,100 metric tonnes of uranium to India between 2022 and 2026.
The Uzbekistan discussions come as India continues to expand its uranium supply options globally, with Australia opening a long-delayed commercial route for uranium exports to India in July 2026. As reported by Business Standard, India and Australia signed an Administrative Arrangement in July 2026, clearing a longstanding hurdle to Australian uranium exports to India. The new framework enables Australian producers and Indian buyers to negotiate commercial supply contracts, with uranium supplied for peaceful purposes and subject to international safeguards. Australia is particularly important because it produced around 4,600 tonnes of uranium in 2024, making it the world's fourth-largest producer and accounting for around 28 per cent of the world's identified recoverable uranium resources. India's nuclear expansion strategy involves a 100 GW nuclear capacity target by 2047, requiring an over elevenfold increase from the current 8.78 GW capacity. The country imported 18,842.60 tonnes of uranium between 2008-09 and 2024-25, with 16 nuclear reactors under International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards as of April 2026. This strategic diversification of uranium suppliers helps India manage geopolitical and supply risks while ensuring fuel availability for its ambitious nuclear expansion program.
