Tashkent [Uzbekistan], August 30 (ANI): Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on Sunday lauded India's rapid progress under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, saying that New Delhi's voice and influence in global affairs have grown stronger during the period.

Mirziyoyev made the remarks during delegation-level talks with PM Modi in Tashkent as part of the latter's two-day State visit to Uzbekistan.

Addressing PM Modi, the Uzbek President said the visit demonstrated the 'special importance' India attaches to advancing bilateral cooperation and described the day as 'historic', noting that the two sides would adopt a joint statement on a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

'Your state visit to Uzbekistan is a clear demonstration of the special importance you attach to advancing our multifaceted cooperation. Today is a historic day. We will adopt a joint statement on a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. This will, without any doubt, open up new horizons for expanding our cooperation across all areas,' Mirziyoyev said.

Praising PM Modi's leadership, the Uzbek President said India was achieving 'remarkable results across all sectors' while maintaining high rates of economic growth and implementing major projects.

'India is making truly outstanding advances in digitalisation, information technology, artificial intelligence, space exploration, and many other fields. New Delhi's voice and influence in global affairs have grown even stronger. As your close friends, we are of course very pleased to see all these achievements,' he said.

Mirziyoyev described India as Uzbekistan's 'reliable strategic partner' and highlighted the growing momentum in bilateral economic and people-to-people ties.

He said bilateral trade crossed USD 1 billion for the first time last year, while the number of joint ventures between the two countries has increased sevenfold in recent years.

The Uzbek President said the two sides would discuss their 'specific plans and objectives' in detail during the talks and expressed confidence that the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership would open new avenues for cooperation.

India and Uzbekistan established diplomatic relations on March 18, 1992, when the protocol establishing diplomatic ties was signed in Tashkent. India was among the first countries to recognise Uzbekistan's sovereignty following its independence.

The two countries elevated their relationship to a Strategic Partnership in 2011. Since then, the partnership has been supported by several institutional mechanisms at the political and official levels to ensure regular engagement.

PM Modi's current two-day state visit, from August 29 to August 31, follows his previous visit to Uzbekistan in 2015, as well as his visits in 2016 and 2022 to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summits.

The bilateral relationship has also witnessed high-level exchanges, including Mirziyoyev's State Visit to India in 2018 and his participation in the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit in 2019.

Following his visit to Tashkent, PM Modi will travel to Bishkek at the invitation of Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov to participate in the 26th SCO Summit, which will mark 25 years of the organisation. (ANI)