Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, currently on a five-day visit to Uzbekistan, met with Botir Zaripov, the Governor of Bukhara city, on Saturday. During the meeting, she emphasized the importance of strengthening tourism and people-to-people ties between India and Uzbekistan.
Sitharaman said that India has much to offer Uzbekistan, particularly to its young population, who could leverage development solutions from Indian startups through enhanced bilateral collaboration. The Ministry of Finance shared details of the meeting in a post on X, underscoring the historical and cultural connections between Indian travelers and traders and Bukhara.
“Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs Smt. @nsitharaman met Mr. Botir Zaripov, Governor of the city of Bukhara, at Bukhara today. She noted that the popularity of Bukhara as a tourist destination is growing among Indians and expressed her commitment to encouraging both sides to further strengthen tourism and people-to-people ties,” the Ministry’s post said.
Sitharaman also highlighted the establishment of Acharya University in Bukhara in 2023 as a testament to the deepening educational partnership between the two nations. She mentioned the collaborative efforts of the Indian Embassy in Tashkent with Bukhara State University, particularly the setting up of an India Corner in the university, which facilitates visits by students and faculty members to India under the Government of India’s ITEC training program.
In response, Governor Zaripov thanked Sitharaman for her visit, noting that it would further enhance the relationship between India and Uzbekistan. He expressed optimism about hosting business delegations from India in Bukhara, particularly in sectors such as pharmaceuticals, IT, electric vehicles, and healthcare.
Sitharaman underscored India’s status as one of the largest and fastest-growing fintech ecosystems in the world, reiterating that India has much to contribute to Uzbekistan, especially regarding development solutions for its youth through bilateral collaboration.
During her visit, which runs from September 24 to 28, Sitharaman is participating in the 9th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and is set to sign a Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) between India and Uzbekistan. The BIT, signed on Friday, aims to provide adequate protection for investors from both countries in line with relevant international precedents and practices.
Throughout her visit, the Finance Minister has also engaged in bilateral meetings with her counterparts.
(Inputs from ANI)