India wants strong economic partnership with Uzbekistan: Prabhu
New Delhi, Sep 28 : India is committed to build a strong economic partnership with Uzbekistan, Commerce Minister Suresh Prabhu said on Friday.
Addressing the India-Uzbekistan Business Forum here organised by the industry chamber Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) ahead of the upcoming state visit of Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Prabhu said India is one of the fastest growing economies in the world and the service sector has huge potential to play an important role in India-Uzbekistan partnership.
"Uzbekistan was once part of the ancient Silk Route linking the Far East to Europe. We would now like to make it part of the Silicon Route," Prabhu said.
"India and Uzbekistan could cooperate to foster the development of new and advanced technologies and with that create the new Silicon Route."
Describing Uzbekistan as a bridge between Asia and Europe which is going to be a thrust area in India's trade policy, the Minister offered to set up skill development training centres in the Central Asian nation.
India-Uzbekistan trade relations are governed by the Agreement on Trade and Economic Cooperation signed in May 1993.
This agreement provides for mutual most favoured nation (MFN) treatment, promotion of economic, industrial, scientific and technical cooperation, including active participation of small and medium-size enterprises in bilateral economic cooperation, a Commerce Ministry release said.
Both countries signed an agreement on Avoidance of Double Taxation in 1993, and for Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection in May 1999, it said.
While India's exports to Uzbekistan include pharmaceutical products, mechanical equipment, vehicles and optical instruments, it imports fruits and vegetables, services, fertilisers and lubricants from the Central Asian nation, the statement added.
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Sri Rama Sene’s Ugadi wishes banner featuring PM Modi, Netanyahu in Belagavi goes viral, sparks row
Banner put up in response to earlier banners condemning killing of Khamenei in the city
A banner allegedly erected by Sri Rama Sene’s Belagavi unit, featuring Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has drawn criticism amid the ongoing tensions in the Middle East.
The banner featured an image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and also included a depiction of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj during the killing of Afzal Khan.
The development comes at a time when the Strait of Hormuz is blocked and LPG shortages are being reported across several sectors in the country.
The banners were reportedly placed at Samrat Ashoka Circle in the city.
Several users on the social media platform ‘X’ criticised the poster.
Sriram Sena puts up Netanyahu banners in Belagavi opposing Khamenei posters pic.twitter.com/y5b8kGe09O
— All About Belgaum | Belagavi News (@allaboutbelgaum) March 16, 2026
One user wrote, “Does Sena know he has been convicted by the International Criminal Court?”
“If Iran learns about this, then you're done for,” another user said.
According to reports, the banners were erected in opposition to banners condemning the killing of Ali Khamenei that had appeared earlier in the city.
In an ‘X’ post, Sri Rama Sene Founder Pramod Muttalik, stated, “there was a call to remove the photo of Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei in Belgaum. However, since the corporation did not remove it, today Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is depicted as disemboweling Afzal Khan, and banners of the Israeli president and Modi were put up.”
ಬೆಳಗಾವಿಯಲ್ಲಿನ ಇರಾನ ಸರ್ವಾದಿಕಾರಿ ಖಮೇನಿ ಪೊಟೋ ತೆರವುಗಳಿಸಲು ಆಗ್ರಹಿಸಲಾಗಿತ್ತು. ಆದರೆ ಅಲ್ಲಿ ಕಾರ್ಪೊರೆಷನ ತೆರವುಗೊಳಿಸದ ಕಾರಣ ಇಂದು ಛತ್ರಪತಿಶಿವಾಜಿಮಹಾರಾಜರು ಅಫ್ಜಲ್ ಖಾನನ ಹೊಟ್ಟೆ ಹರಿದಿದ್ದು ಮತ್ತು ಇಸ್ರೆಲ ಅದ್ಯಕ್ಷ ಮತ್ತು ಮೋದಿ ಅವರಬ್ಯಾನರ ಹಾಕಲಾಯಿತು #Netanyahu #chhatrapatiShivajiMaharaj #Belgaum #PramodMutalik pic.twitter.com/GUlHv2QadU
— Pramod Mutalik Official (@PramodMuta39880) March 16, 2026
Meanwhile local reports suggest that such banners were placed in different parts of the city including RTO circle and Killa Circle.
When Varta Bharathi contacted Belagavi City Police Bhushan Gulabrao Borase, for a comment, he refused to comment on the matter.
