Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) - Recently, the first Uzbek-Indian forum of analytical centers was held in New Delhi (India), Dunyo reported.

The Uzbek side was represented by experts from the Institute of Strategic and Interregional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Information and Analytical Center for International Studies, the Development Strategy Center and the SCO People’s Diplomacy Center.

From the Indian side, the forum was attended by representatives of the Indian Council on Foreign Affairs, the Institute for Defense Research and Analysis, the Indian Institute for Military Research, the Center for the Study of Air Forces and other analytical structures of India.

During the event, exchange of views on the current state and prospects of cooperation between Uzbekistan and India took place.

Relations between Uzbekistan and India have extremely positive dynamics; they are not complicated by political contradictions and disagreements. Today, the Uzbek-Indian strategic partnership is dynamically and steadily developing in an ascending line. There is a high intensity of official contacts, including the state visit of the President of Uzbekistan to India in 2018 and his participation in the Dynamic Gujarat conference in 2019.

Regular consultations were established between the foreign affairs agencies of the two countries, an inter-parliamentary group of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan on cooperation with the Parliament of the Republic of India was formed. The Indian side has formed an interstate committee to coordinate the implementation of bilateral projects with Uzbekistan.

In order to develop regional cooperation, a meeting of the Dialogue "India - Central Asia" is regularly held with the participation of representatives of expert and analytical circles of the parties. Given the importance of helping to resolve the situation in Afghanistan, the first meeting of the India-Central Asia Dialogue was held in January 2019 with the participation of the Afghan side at the level of the foreign ministers of the parties.

Indian analysts praised the modern development of Uzbekistan, the ongoing transformations in domestic and foreign policy, and initiatives to address regional and international problems.

The forum participants exchanged views on the situation in Central and South Asia and the possibility of expanding cooperation between Uzbekistan and India within the framework of regional organizations.

According to their estimates, the current situation in the region, challenges and security threats require the unification of efforts of Tashkent and New Delhi to ensure stability and sustainable development. India is taking active practical measures to resolve the situation in Afghanistan, which is in tune with the policy of Uzbekistan, which sees strategic opportunities for joint development in a neighboring country.

The unification of the Uzbek-Indian efforts in this direction will create additional conditions for a peaceful solution to the Afghan crisis. Tashkent and New Delhi can assist Kabul in attracting the attention and resources of leading countries of the world, international and regional organizations.

It was emphasized that a long-term and sustainable peace in Afghanistan will make it possible to unleash the full potential of trans-regional trade, strengthen transport and transit interconnectedness and enhance intercultural dialogue between Central and South Asia.

The parties also expressed satisfaction with the dynamics of the development of relations in the political, military and cultural-humanitarian spheres.

However, as was noted, the scale of interaction between countries in the trade and economic sphere does not correspond to the existing potential. In 2019, mutual trade turnover amounted to only 329.6 million dollars. It was noted that Uzbekistan has the opportunity to increase exports to India to 900 million dollars. Taking into account this, it was noted the importance of enhancing contacts between the business communities of the two countries, conducting joint research for identify barriers to the expansion of economic interaction and the development of practical proposals.

According to the forum participants, the intensification of cooperation in science, education, the introduction of digital technologies may become one of the most promising areas of Uzbek-Indian interaction. The Government of Uzbekistan has announced the holding of the “Year of Science, Education and the Development of the Digital Economy” in 2020. In this regard, India, which has huge potential in the field of information and communication technologies, could turn into one of the main partners of Uzbekistan.

In general, experts from Uzbekistan and India rated the first forum of think tanks as a very effective and fruitful event. This format of cooperation will become an important platform for the exchange of views between experts of the two countries on topical issues in the development of Uzbek-Indian relations. Regular holding of the forum will allow establishing a systematic and comprehensive dialogue that effectively complements the diplomatic, trade and economic instruments of bilateral strategic partnership relations.