Watch: PM Modi takes part in yoga session during Uzbekistan visit - The Times of India

**New Delhi, Aug. 31, 2026** – Prime Minister Narendra Modi joined a public yoga session in Tashkent on Thursday, marking a cultural highlight of his three‑day state visit to Uzbekistan. The event, organized by the Uzbek Ministry of Sports and the Indian embassy, featured a mixed crowd of officials, local residents and Indian expatriates who performed a series of asanas under the guidance of senior yoga instructors. Modi, who has long promoted yoga as a vehicle for health and soft diplomacy, led the participants in the “Surya Namaskar” sequence, emphasizing the practice’s role in fostering “inner balance and international friendship.”

Beyond the yoga demonstration, the itinerary was packed with symbolic and substantive diplomatic gestures. Modi paid tribute to former Indian Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri at the Shastri Memorial in Tashkent, underscoring historic Indo‑Uzbek ties, before jointly planting a sapling with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev—a gesture meant to symbolize the deepening of bilateral relations. In a joint press conference, both leaders condemned cross‑border terrorism, reaffirming their commitment to collective security ahead of the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, where Uzbekistan and India are expected to coordinate on regional stability initiatives.

The visit also paved the way for a strategic overhaul of the partnership between the two nations. Officials announced that India and Uzbekistan will elevate their relationship to a **Comprehensive Strategic Partnership**, encompassing defense cooperation, trade diversification and energy collaboration. Notably, discussions progressed on a long‑term uranium import agreement, building on recent deals with Canada and Australia and positioning Uzbekistan as a potential new source of nuclear fuel for India’s civilian reactors. The agreements are slated for formal signing at the end of the week, signaling a significant step toward deepening economic and security ties in Central Asia.