Bilateral Relations - The Times Of Central Asia

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Bilateral Relations

Uzbekistan Mahallasi Opens in Turkey’s Earthquake-Hit Hatay

A residential complex built by Uzbekistan in Turkey’s Hatay Province has officially become the center of a new neighborhood named “Uzbekistan Mahallasi,” marking another milestone in the growing partnership between the two countries. According to Uzbekistan’s Dunyo Information Agency, an opening ceremony was held in the Arsuz district of Hatay. Officials also inaugurated Shavkat Mirziyoyev Boulevard, along with Tashkent and Samarkand Streets. The event brought together senior officials from both countries, including Nuriddin Ismoilov, Speaker of the Legislative Chamber of Uzbekistan’s Oliy Majlis; Jurabek Rakhimov, governor of Khorezm Region; Numan Kurtulmuş, Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey; Hatay Governor Mustafa Masatlı; and representatives of local authorities and residents. The housing development is part of Uzbekistan’s assistance to Turkey following the devastating earthquakes that struck southern Turkey on February 6, 2023, causing widespread destruction across Hatay and several neighboring provinces. Speaking at the ceremony, Kurtulmuş described the project as a symbol of gratitude to the Uzbek people for their support during one of Turkey’s most difficult periods. “Today, it is a source of special pride for us to immortalize names in Arsuz that reflect the great historical and cultural heritage of Uzbekistan,” Kurtulmuş said. “This step symbolizes the respect and appreciation for the Uzbek people, who stood by us and extended their support during our most difficult days.” Kurtulmuş also described Uzbekistan as one of the important centers of Islamic civilization and the Turkic world. He highlighted reforms being implemented under President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and praised the country’s “New Renaissance” development agenda. Hatay Governor Mustafa Masatlı highlighted the practical significance of Uzbekistan’s contribution to the province’s recovery. He said naming the residential area “Uzbekistan Mahallasi” would serve as a lasting symbol of friendship between the two nations. “On behalf of the residents of Hatay, I express my profound gratitude to the friendly and fraternal people of Uzbekistan,” Masatlı said. The ceremony concluded with a ribbon-cutting for the newly named boulevard and streets, which honor Uzbekistan’s president and two of the country’s historic cities. The opening follows the completion of the housing project earlier this year. In January, Presidents Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan took part in a ceremony to open the Uzbekistan residential complex and handed apartment keys to local residents. The complex consists of 24 apartment buildings with more than 300 fully equipped apartments and modern infrastructure. It was built by Uzbekistan in the Arsuz district, one of the areas affected by the 2023 earthquakes.

Termez Dialogue 2026

Opinion: Indian Ambassador Says Shared Spiritual Legacy Reflects Indo-Uzbek Solidarity

TASHKENT, June 10, 2026 - Indian Ambassador to Uzbekistan Smita Pant used her official remarks at the Termez Dialogue 2026 to argue that connectivity between Central and South Asia cannot be judged by infrastructure alone. Roads, railways, ports, energy links, financial channels, and digital systems are essential. But durable cooperation also depends on confidence, cultural memory, and a willingness to treat sovereignty as a condition for partnership rather than an obstacle to it. The second meeting of the Termez Dialogue was held under the theme “Peace, Connectivity, and Resilience: Shaping the Foundation for Shared Prosperity.” It was organized by the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the President of Uzbekistan and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan, in partnership with CICA. The forum fits into a wider Uzbek diplomatic push to reconnect Central and South Asia through political dialogue, trade, transport, climate cooperation, and cultural exchange. Pant’s address stood out because it placed the human dimension of connectivity at the center of the discussion. The broader idea associated with the Termez platform was captured in the phrase: “Eurasia needs not lines of division, but spaces of trust.” For India and Uzbekistan, that argument has particular force. Their relationship is not only diplomatic. It rests on older movements of people, ideas, language, food, faith, scholarship, and trade. That history gives modern policy a deeper base. Central and South Asia are often discussed today through the language of corridors, transit costs, sanctions risk, and access to ports. Those questions are real. The International North-South Transport Corridor, Chabahar, air freight links, customs procedures, and digital payment systems all matter to India’s practical engagement with Central Asia. But the old routes that connected India, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, and the wider Eurasian space carried more than goods. They also carried habits of coexistence. “Connectivity is not just material. It is not just about roads and rail. It is also cultural, spiritual, financial, and digital,” she said, reminding delegates that human relationships and shared values constitute the most resilient infrastructure of all. [caption id="attachment_50469" align="aligncenter" width="2508"] Indian Ambassador to Uzbekistan, Smita Pant. Photo: Embassy of India, Tashkent [/caption] This is not a decorative point. Central Asia’s geography makes connectivity a strategic necessity, but its history shows that routes endure only when they are trusted. The UN General Assembly resolution on strengthening connectivity between Central and South Asia gave international backing to this agenda in 2022. The harder question now is how to make that connectivity commercially viable, politically acceptable, and socially useful. Pant’s answer was to frame India’s approach around sustainability and sovereignty. “India's approach on connectivity is guided by a very simple mantra – it must be built on the bedrock of financial sustainability and local priorities and should not bypass ideas connected to national sovereignty and independence. India’s approach to connectivity dictates that relations must be transparent, fair and benefit the person on the ground,” she said. That line is important because connectivity projects can easily become abstract. Maps look clean from a...

Bilateral Relations

Iran and Tajikistan Seek Closer Economic, Security Ties

Tajikistan and Iran have moved to deepen a relationship steeped in close cultural ties, holding talks on trade, security and the environment last week even as conflict in the Middle East weighs heavily on Iran. Sherali Kabir, Tajikistan’s industry and new technologies minister, and his Iranian counterpart Seyed Mohammad Atabak agreed that industrial cooperation between their two countries had entered “a qualitatively new stage,” the Tajik ministry said after they met on the sidelines of a gathering of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, a regional forum that includes Russia and China. At the meeting on June 5 in Kyrgyzstan, the two men talked about “the establishment of textile clusters based on Tajik cotton raw materials and Iranian technologies; joint projects in metallurgy and mineral processing; the production of agricultural machinery; pharmaceuticals and biotechnology; construction materials; as well as the chemical industry and coal processing,” according to the ministry. They also reviewed a plan to open a joint industrial park in Tajikistan and the application of digital technologies and artificial intelligence in industrial management. Earlier this year, the two countries said they planned to increase bilateral trade to $1 billion, which would roughly double the current annual amount. Tajik officials said trade had increased in the first quarter of this year, and the government sent a convoy of more than 100 trucks carrying what it said was humanitarian aid to Iran in March. On Monday, Iran and Israel appeared to be de-escalating after carrying out airstrikes on each other as a regional ceasefire came under strain. However, Tajikistan has not publicly taken a side in the war and instead called for a diplomatic solution. It is also working to deepen trade and other ties with the United States, which is seeking access to critical minerals and energy resources in Central Asia. The U.S. joined Israel in launching airstrikes on targets across Iran in February. In a separate meeting in Bishkek on June 5, the internal affairs ministers of Tajikistan and Iran discussed ways to counter transnational organized crime and build cooperation between their law enforcement agencies. The two countries, which don’t share a border, have long been concerned about instability and militant threats from Afghanistan, which shares a long border with both countries. According to state-run Iranian media, Interior Minister Ramazon Rahimzoda of Tajikistan also praised Iran during the encounter with counterpart Eskandar Momeni, saying it had shown resilience against “superpowers” in what the minister described as a testament to its technological skills and leadership. In another meeting last week, Shina Ansari, Iranian vice president and head of the environment department, and Bahadur Shiralizadeh, Tajikistan’s environment minister, talked on the sidelines of a Global Environment Facility forum in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. They discussed endangered species protection and pollutant monitoring, and Shiralizadeh said Tajikistan would welcome Iranian specialists on biodiversity, Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency reported. Iranian experts are involved in major hydropower projects in Tajikistan, which sees the technology as a way to alleviate energy shortages and reduce pollution from the use of...

Azerbaijan

Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan Plan New Parks in Tashkent and Baku

Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan have agreed to establish new public parks in each other’s capitals as part of broader efforts to expand bilateral cooperation, Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade has reported. The announcement followed an official visit to Azerbaijan from April 22 to 24 by a delegation led by Minister Laziz Kudratov. During the trip, talks were held with Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Economy and senior executives from major companies on joint projects and future cooperation. According to the ministry, both sides identified several priority areas, including mining, construction materials, transport and logistics, urban planning, agriculture, and pharmaceuticals. Particular attention was given to plans to create an “Uzbekistan” park in Baku and an “Azerbaijan” park in Tashkent, alongside expanding pharmaceutical retail networks and developing fruit and vegetable processing projects. Trade between the two countries has been growing steadily. In 2025, bilateral trade turnover reached $307.3 million, marking a 14.6% increase compared to the previous year, the ministry said. The Times of Central Asia previously reported that trade rose by 25% in 2024, while the number of joint ventures approached 300, with a combined project portfolio valued at around $4 billion. The two countries have set a target of increasing annual trade and investment to $1 billion by 2030, supported by a comprehensive cooperation program covering sectors such as industry, infrastructure, agriculture, healthcare, tourism, and banking. Progress has also been noted in transport and energy cooperation. Both sides highlighted growing cargo volumes along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, also known as the Middle Corridor. Uzbek shipments along the route increased by 25% in 2024, exceeding one million tonnes, aided by the introduction of a new electronic permit system.

Serbia

Vučić in Astana: Trade, Defense, and Technology Drive Kazakhstan–Serbia Talks

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić arrived in Astana on February 26 for a two-day official visit. Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov and Astana Mayor Jenis Qasymbek received him at the airport. Vučić is scheduled to hold talks with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on February 26–27. The agenda includes political dialogue, trade, digital transformation, healthcare, science, culture, and judicial cooperation. The two presidents are expected to adopt a joint statement and oversee the signing of ten memorandums. Kazakhstan also plans to award Vučić the Order of the Golden Eagle, the country’s highest state honor. The Serbian delegation includes Minister of Internal and External Trade Jagoda Lazarević, Minister without Portfolio Nenad Popović, and Mihailo Jovanović, director of Serbia’s Office for eGovernment and IT. Economic ties form a central pillar of the visit. Kazakhstan’s government stated that bilateral trade grew by 7.6% in 2025. At the first meeting of the Kazakhstan–Serbia Business Council and Business Forum in Astana, Nenad Popović said trade turnover reached about $117 million in 2025, an increase of roughly 7%. “The free-trade agreement between our countries ensures a strong institutional basis. It is now important to further strengthen this foundation with concrete projects and targeted mechanisms to support entrepreneurship in Kazakhstan and Serbia, as well as their business communities,” he stated. Defense cooperation has also emerged as a significant outcome of the business meetings. Kazakhstan’s LLP SP Kaztechnology and Serbia’s Yugoimport SDPR agreed to cooperate on the repair and modernization of 122mm and 152mm self-propelled artillery systems from the Nora and Soko/Soho families. LLP Great Sky and Yugoimport SDPR also signed a framework agreement on technology transfer and the organization of high-energy materials production. The visit extends beyond defense. Astana Hub signed memorandums with Serbia’s Digital Transformation Center, SEE UP Accelerator, and Science Technology Park Belgrade. Kazakhstan’s National Biotechnology Center also signed a memorandum with Serbia’s Bio4 Campus. Diplomatic relations between Kazakhstan and Serbia were established in December 1996. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, momentum in bilateral ties increased in late 2024 when Tokayev visited Serbia, and the sides signed multiple cooperation agreements in trade, investment, and industry. The Astana meetings signal a practical expansion of relations between Central Asia and the Balkans. Trade remains modest in absolute terms, but the new agreements in defense, digital technology, and biotechnology point to the growth of a broader industrial partnership.

Central Asia + Japan

Uzbekistan and Japan Announce Over $12 Billion in New Strategic Projects

Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has concluded an official visit to Japan that both Uzbek and Japanese sources have described as a turning point in bilateral relations. According to Sherzod Asadov, the president’s press secretary, the visit elevated Uzbekistan-Japan ties to an expanded strategic partnership, marking a shift from primarily humanitarian and technical cooperation to a broader economic framework grounded in long-term strategic planning. During the visit, Mirziyoyev held meetings with Emperor Naruhito, Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, parliamentary leaders, senior government officials, and representatives from Japan’s business and academic communities. Asadov noted that a new portfolio of cooperation projects, valued at more than $12 billion, was formed, encompassing sectors such as education, healthcare, environmental protection, water management, transport, urban development, tourism, agriculture, and disaster-risk reduction. Particular emphasis was placed on green energy, energy storage systems, and industrial cooperation. Major Japanese corporations were invited to join long-term partnership programs, signaling a deepening of economic ties. Japanese media also underscored the economic dimension of the visit. NHK World reported on a business forum in Tokyo where Mirziyoyev urged Japanese companies to invest in Uzbekistan’s industrial transformation, highlighting areas such as advanced technology, stable energy supply, and critical minerals development. He emphasized that Japanese participation would bolster ongoing reforms aimed at enhancing productivity and boosting exports. Japan’s Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Ryosei Akazawa, expressed Tokyo’s support for sustainable development in Uzbekistan, with a focus on private-sector cooperation. Japanese firms operating in Uzbekistan presented current projects in renewable energy and mineral exploration. Uzbek business representatives, in turn, highlighted the country’s demand for Japanese technology and acknowledged improvements in the investment environment. The visit also included President Mirziyoyev’s participation in the first “Central Asia + Japan” summit. Discussions focused on regional connectivity, green economic initiatives, digital and investment collaboration, and human capital development. The summit concluded with the adoption of the Tokyo Declaration, which reaffirmed both sides’ commitment to deepening multilateral cooperation. Following the engagements in Japan, Mirziyoyev traveled to Russia for a working visit to attend the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council meeting and an informal summit of CIS heads of state in St. Petersburg.