Uzbek Foreign Minister to visit India

New Delhi, Aug 19 : Uzbekistan Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov will lead a high-level delegation on a four-day visit to India starting from August 20, the External Affairs Ministry said on Saturday.

The visit comes following a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirzitoev on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meeting in Astana, Kazakhstan earlier this year.

"Both leaders had decided to further strengthen and expand bilateral cooperation in all areas, particularly trade and economy," the Ministry said in a statement.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will hold talks with Kamilov on August 22. The India-Uzbekistan relationship was elevated to that of a Strategic Partnership during the visit of late Uzbek President Islam Karimov to India in 2011.

Prime Minister Modi visited Uzbekistan in 2015 and 2016 while Minister of State for External Affairs M.J. Akbar visited the central Asian nation last year to pay respects to late President Karimov.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the establishment of India-Uzbekistan diplomatic ties.

"India and Uzbekistan have close and friendly relations based on centuries of historical and cultural linkages," the ministry statement said.

It hoped that "discussions during the visit of this delegation will help in identifying new areas of cooperation and take our relationship to a higher level".

India-Uzbekistan bilateral trade stood at $184.05 million during the period January-June 2016.

India exports pharmaceutical products, mechanical equipment, vehicles, services, optical instruments and equipment to Uzbekistan and imports fruit and vegetable products, services, fertilisers, juice products, extracts and lubricants.

Kamilov's delegation will include Elyor Ganiev, Minister for Foreign Trade of Uzbekistan, senior representatives from the Uzbek government, and chairmen and representatives from several government associations and corporations, according to the statement.