**Executive Summary**
The 14th Session of the India-Uzbekistan Intergovernmental Commission was held to deepen economic ties and establish a goal to double bilateral trade within the next three years. Co-chaired by officials from both nations, the meeting focused on addressing non-tariff barriers, expanding trade baskets, and enhancing digital and logistical connectivity. Key future actions include the establishment of a time-bound mechanism for resolving trade barriers and scheduling the 15th Commission meeting in India.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Trade Performance and Targets**
* **Growth Goals:** India and Uzbekistan have agreed to work toward doubling bilateral trade turnover within the next three years.
* **Current Statistics:** Bilateral trade reached US$ 1.3 billion in 2025, a 33.3% increase over the previous year, with Indian exports to Uzbekistan growing at a CAGR of 12.9% over the last decade.
* **Export Drivers:** Major drivers for Indian merchandise exports include engineering goods, electronics, chemicals, petroleum products, and gems and jewellery.
**Sector-Specific Cooperation**
* **Pharmaceuticals:** Identified as a priority area, leveraging India’s capacity to supply affordable, quality-assured medicines and vaccines.
* **Agriculture:** Focus on agricultural machinery, seed development, processed foods, and climate-resilient farming technologies.
* **ICT and Digital Public Infrastructure:** Discussions covered cooperation in fintech, cybersecurity, digital education, and the potential interlinking of payment systems to support trade and tourism.
* **Energy:** Strategic focus on ensuring the supply of critical minerals to support India’s growing digital economy and AI-driven power demands.
**Regulatory and Logistical Improvements**
* **Non-Tariff Barriers:** The Commission emphasized the need for a regular review of standards, testing, certification, and customs procedures to ensure predictability for businesses.
* **Connectivity:** Both sides identified robust transport and digital logistics platforms as essential for economic potential.
* **Institutional Engagement:** Agreement to encourage closer contact between chambers of commerce, export promotion councils, and sectoral bodies.
**Impact Analysis**
**Indian Businesses and MSMEs**
**Impact**
Indian exporters across sectors such as textiles, electronics, and pharmaceuticals gain expanded market access and opportunities for job creation.
**Action Required**
Enterprises and innovators are encouraged to participate in trade fairs, buyer-seller meets, and investment forums to capitalize on the widened trade basket.
**Uzbek Businesses**
**Impact**
Uzbek entities have the opportunity to increase their export footprint in India and benefit from shared digital logistics and customs facilitation expertise.
**Action Required**
Uzbek businesses are invited to participate more actively in Indian trade events and engage with Indian chambers of commerce.
**Regulatory and Standards Bodies**
**Impact**
There is a pressing need for increased transparency and direct dialogue between the two nations' regulators to facilitate smoother trade.
**Action Required**
Regulators must establish a time-bound mechanism to resolve non-tariff barriers and engage in direct contact to harmonize standards and certification processes.
Key Entities Referenced
India-Uzbekistan Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technological Cooperation: The primary bilateral forum responsible for reviewing economic engagement, addressing non-tariff barriers, and setting the goal to double bilateral trade within three years.
Department of Commerce: The lead Indian government department that co-chaired the commission's 14th session to expand exports in sectors such as pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and ICT.
Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan: The counterpart ministry that co-chaired the session and proposed cooperation on digital logistics platforms and customs facilitation mechanisms.
Ministry of Commerce & Industry
Commerce Secretary Shri Rajesh Agrawal co-
chairs 14th Session of India-Uzbekistan
Intergovernmental Commission
India and Uzbekistan agree to deepen trade, address non-
tariff barriers and work towards doubling bilateral trade in
next three years
प्रव तथ: 19 JUN 2026 7:42PM by PIB Delhi
Shri Rajesh Agrawal, Secretary, Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry,
Government of India, co-chaired the 14th Session of the India-Uzbekistan Intergovernmental Commission
on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technological Cooperation with Mr. Shokhrukh Gulamov, Deputy
Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan. The meeting was held in
Tashkent, with the Indian co-chair participating through video conference.
The Commission reviewed the full range of bilateral economic engagement and reaffirmed the strategic
character of India-Uzbekistan relations, rooted in historical and civilizational ties and strengthened by the
leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
The Commerce Secretary stated that India approaches the partnership with confidence in its economic
journey. India’s total exports of goods and services in FY 2025-26 are estimated at US$ 860.09 billion,
while cumulative exports during April-May 2026-27 reached US$ 162.69 billion, registering growth of
14.66 per cent over the same period of the previous year. Merchandise exports grew by 16.09 per cent,
with engineering goods, electronic goods, chemicals, petroleum products, gems and jewellery among the
major drivers.
Both sides welcomed the sustained growth in bilateral trade. Uzbekistan reported that trade turnover with
India reached US$ 1.3 billion in 2025 (growth of 33.3% over the previous year) and Uzbekistan’s exports
to India stood at US$ 164.6 million (growth of 25.4%), while its imports from India reached US$ 1.15
billion, growing by 34.6%. Indian exports to Uzbekistan have grown at a CAGR of 12.9% over the last
decade, while India’s services exports to Uzbekistan stood at US$ 372.2 million in 2024.
The Commission discussed several product categories where Indian supplies to Uzbekistan can be
expanded. These include pharmaceuticals, medical devices, agricultural products, processed foods,
agricultural machinery, engineering goods, electrical machinery, electronics, smartphones, automobiles
and auto components, tractor accessories, textiles and textile machinery, chemicals, healthcare services,
education services, tourism, logistics and other business services. This wider trade basket is aligned with
the Government of India’s commitment to create new market opportunities for farmers, MSMEs, women
entrepreneurs, young innovators and Indian businesses. It also reflects India’s growing capacity to supply
quality goods and services across traditional and emerging sectors, while contributing to higher incomes,
job creation and stronger people-to-people economic linkages.Pharmaceuticals were identified as a priority area. India highlighted its role as the Pharmacy of the World
and its capacity to supply affordable and quality-assured medicines, vaccines and active pharmaceutical
ingredients.
Agriculture and allied sectors received focused attention. Both sides recognized India’s capabilities in
agriculture and allied exports, processed foods, agricultural machinery, seed development, agricultural
research and climate-resilient farming technologies.
The two sides also discussed ICT and digital cooperation. India highlighted its capabilities in IT, digital
public infrastructure, telecom, fintech, cybersecurity, health services, digital education, engineering
consultancy and digital logistics. The Indian side suggested cooperating on customs data exchange and
exploring interlinking of payment infrastructure for secure and efficient payments, with a view to
supporting tourism, trade and commerce.
Energy was discussed as an area of strategic cooperation. India noted that its fast-growing digital
economy, including rising demand from artificial intelligence, data centres and advanced computing,
requires reliable and clean baseload power. In this context, ensuring critical minerals supply was identified
as an important area for advancing India-Uzbekistan energy cooperation.
The Commerce Secretary stated that non-tariff barriers relating to approvals, standards, testing,
certification, customs procedures and market-access requirements need regular review; and businesses
need predictability, regulators need dialogue and standards bodies need direct contact. A time-bound
mechanism on resolving non-tariff barriers to trade would help convert goodwill into trade outcomes.
Both sides recognized that robust transport and logistics connectivity are essential for unlocking the full
economic potential of the relationship. The Uzbek side proposed sharing experience in digital logistics
platforms and customs facilitation mechanisms.
The Commerce Secretary invited Uzbek businesses to participate more actively in trade fairs, buyer-seller
meets, investment forums and sectoral events in India. Both sides agreed to encourage closer engagement
between chambers of commerce, export promotion councils, enterprises and sectoral bodies.
The Commission also agreed to hold the 15th meeting of the India-Uzbekistan Intergovernmental
Commission in India on a mutually convenient date. The meeting marked a renewed phase in India-
Uzbekistan economic partnership, with a shared focus on trade expansion, regulatory cooperation, sectoral
diversification, connectivity and implementation.
***
Abhijith Narayanan
(रलीज़ आईडी: 2275405) आगंतुक पटल : 312
इस वज्ञ को इन भाषाओ ंम पढ़: Urdu , ही