PM Modi Pays Tribute To Lal Bahadur Shastri In Tashkent, Plants Tree With Uzbek President

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday paid floral tribute at the Shastri Memorial, honouring the legacy of former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, and jointly planted a tree with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in Tashkent.

Shastri's “timeless call of 'Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan' continues to inspire generations,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said, adding that his “life embodied simplicity, courage and unwavering devotion to the nation.”

India's second Prime Minister, Shastri died suddenly in the Uzbek capital on Jan 11, 1966, just hours after signing the historic Tashkent Declaration to end the 1965 India-Pakistan war.

Modi, Mirziyoyev Plant Tree At Presidential Palace

Modi and Mirziyoyev jointly planted a tree in the Presidential Palace garden under India's "Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam" initiative and Uzbekistan's "Yashil Makon" green efforts, the MEA said in a post on X.

"The gesture reflects the shared commitment of India and Uzbekistan towards nurturing a greener and more sustainable future," it said.

The tree-planting ceremony followed delegation-level talks between Modi and Mirziyoyev at the Kuksaroy Presidential Palace during the Prime Minister's two-day state visit to Uzbekistan.

The leaders held wide-ranging discussions on strengthening bilateral ties in 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.

India, Uzbekistan Elevate Strategic Ties

During the talks, India and Uzbekistan decided to elevate their Strategic Partnership to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

They also set a bilateral trade target of $5 billion by 2030 and called for a Business Summit to deepen economic and investment ties.

Mirziyoyev also conferred the Oliy Darajali Do’stlik Order, Uzbekistan's highest honour for foreign leaders, on Modi for his contribution to strengthening friendship between the two countries.

Modi Attends Yoga Session, Visits Independence Monument

Earlier in the day, Modi attended a yoga session hosted by the Yoga Federation of Uzbekistan.

The Prime Minister arrived in Tashkent on Saturday and received a warm welcome from Mirziyoyev at the airport.

After his arrival, Modi visited Yangi Uzbekistan Park and laid a wreath at the Independence Monument along with the Uzbek President. He also met members of the Indian community at a hotel in Tashkent.

Uzbekistan is the first leg of Modi's two-nation visit. He will travel to Kyrgyzstan from Aug 31 to Sept 1 for the 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit.