PM Modi conferred with Uzbekistan's prestigious ‘Oliy Darajali Do'stlik’ Order - The Hindu

**Prime Minister Narendra Modi Receives Uzbekistan’s Highest Civilian Honour**

New Delhi – Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred Uzbekistan’s prestigious **“Oliy Darajali Do'stlik” (Friendship of the Highest Order)** during a ceremony at the presidential palace in Tashkent on Monday. The award, traditionally reserved for heads of state and distinguished foreign leaders, was presented by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in recognition of Modi’s role in deepening Indo‑Uzbek relations. In a symbolic gesture, the Indian prime minister also paid homage to former Indian Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, whose historic 1961 visit to Tashkent ended the Indo‑Pak war, by laying a wreath at the Shastri Memorial.

The two leaders used the occasion to seal a series of agreements that broaden the strategic partnership between the two nations. A landmark **long‑term uranium supply deal** was signed, ensuring a steady flow of nuclear fuel for India’s civilian reactors and bolstering Uzbekistan’s position as a reliable energy supplier. Parallel memoranda covered defence cooperation, joint training exercises, and the establishment of a joint working group on trade and investment, aimed at diversifying the bilateral commerce basket beyond traditional sectors such as textiles and pharmaceuticals.

Modi’s visit formed part of a broader Central Asian outreach ahead of the **Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan**, where he is expected to meet the leaders of the other member states. Analysts view the Tashkent award as a diplomatic signal of Uzbekistan’s intent to strengthen ties with New Delhi, especially as the SCO platform gains prominence in regional security and economic coordination. The ceremony, coupled with concrete economic pacts, underscores a “new course” for India‑Uzbekistan relations, aligning both countries with the SCO’s objectives of multilateral cooperation and shared development.