New Delhi: Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Secretary (West) Sibi George attended Uzbekistan’s National Day celebrations as the Chief Guest in New Delhi, hosted by the Embassy of Uzbekistan.
During his address, George underscored the deep-rooted civilizational ties between India and Uzbekistan and reaffirmed India’s commitment to strengthening the strategic partnership between the two nations.
In a post on X, the MEA stated, “Secretary (West) Sibi George attended Uzbekistan’s National Day celebrations as the Chief Guest in New Delhi, hosted by the Embassy of Uzbekistan. He extended warm greetings to the people and the government of Uzbekistan and highlighted our ancient civilizational links and the strategic partnership between the two countries.”
Earlier, on September 30, the 9th meeting of the India–Uzbekistan Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism was held in Tashkent, as per an MEA statement. The meeting was co-chaired by Vinod J. Bahade, Joint Secretary (Counter Terrorism), MEA, and Gulomjon Pirimkulov, Head of the Department for Cooperation with South Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, at Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The discussions covered a range of issues, including global and regional terrorist threats, extremism and radicalisation, terror financing, and the use of technology by terrorist groups. Both sides also deliberated on the nexus between transnational organised crime and terrorism, and the movement of foreign terrorists.
India and Uzbekistan strongly condemned the April 22, 2025 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which targeted innocent civilians.
The two sides agreed to enhance bilateral cooperation through information sharing, capacity building, and exchange of best practices. They also reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening coordination in multilateral platforms, including the United Nations, SCO-RATS, and Eurasian Group (EAG).
The next meeting of the Joint Working Group will be held in India at a mutually convenient date, the MEA said.
