Uzbekistan refrains from backing formulation on J&K during President’s Pakistan visit

Uzbekistan during the just concluded visit of its President Shavkat Mirziyoyev to Pakistan did not back any formulation on Jammu and Kashmir keeping the Indian sensitivities in mind.

The Joint Statement issued following the visit found no mention on the Jammu and Kashmir issue. Uzbekistan with strong ties to India since the days of Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic is sensitive to India’s position on the Kashmir issue, highly placed sources told ET.

“Key issues related to further strengthening Uzbek-Pakistani relations of friendship and strategic partnership were considered, along with expanding practical cooperation in the political, trade and economic, investment, transport and logistics, and humanitarian spheres,” according to a statement issued by Uzbek President office.


Uzbekistan like other Central Asian nations, has maintained the Soviet and now Russian approach to the India-Pakistan dispute and the Kashmir issue—that the dispute is bilateral in nature without any scope for third-party interference.

India enjoys goodwill across Central Asia and has been seeking to expand and upgrade the partnerships, including in the areas of counterterrorism and connectivity. Kazakhstan, like Uzbekistan, has been a votary of connectivity with India via Iran. Experts on Central Asia are of the opinion that India needs to expand its visibility in Central Asia to counter Pakistan's efforts to woo the countries in the region.