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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TN Assembly elections: Eight-month pregnant homemaker wins Thiru Vi Ka Nagar seat for TVK
Chennai (PTI): Before giving birth, she had already delivered a mandate—a symbol of hope for Thiru Vi Ka Nagar.
Echoing Delhi’s 2013 “common citizen” political churn associated with the rise of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), an eight-month-pregnant homemaker, M R Pallavi, has been elected as an MLA from Chennai’s Thiru Vi Ka Nagar constituency, emerging as one of the notable first-time faces of the Vijay-led TVK in the recently held Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.
In the narrow lanes of Thiru Vi Ka Nagar, a steady stream of media personnel has been making their way to Pallavi’s residence—a scene reminiscent of the result day in Delhi when journalists thronged the modest home of Rakhi Birla, who had won from Mangolpuri on an AAP ticket.
Pallavi, 36, a homemaker educated up to class XII, defeated the DMK candidate K S Ravichandran by a margin of 22,333 votes in the reserved Thiru Vi Ka Nagar Assembly constituency.
Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam emerged as the single largest party by winning 108 seats, while DMK and AIADMK got 59 and 47, respectively.
Pallavi’s victory has drawn attention due to her personal circumstances. She campaigned extensively while eight months pregnant, going door-to-door to reach voters.
According to local accounts, she even fainted once during the campaign but continued her outreach.
She has not spoken to the media following her victory, as doctors have advised her to rest. Her husband, Rajesh, briefly recounted her campaign efforts.
A self-professed admirer of actor-turned-politician Vijay, Pallavi joined TVK soon after its formation and is now among its first-time legislators.
Doctors have advised her to be hospitalised around May 20, as she is expecting her second child. Ahead of that, voters in Thiru Vi Ka Nagar have entrusted her with representing them in the state Assembly.
Political observers say the rise of candidates like Pallavi signals a possible shift in Tamil Nadu’s political landscape, with voters backing a new party and candidates from non-traditional backgrounds.
