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Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is visiting Tashkent April
25-26, 2006 on a two-day state visit to Uzbekistan at the invitation of the
Uzbek President, Islam Abduganievich Karimov who himself had visited India in
April 2005. The visit will mark a new chapter in Indo-Uzbek relations.
The close friendly relations between Uzbekistan and India have their roots deep in
history. The eminent Uzbek scholar Al-Beruni visited India in the 11th century and wrote
the famous book, Kitab-Takkik Al-Hind - one of the
most authoritative books on Indian society and culture. India's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru had visited Uzbekistan in 1955 and 1961 when it was
part of the erstwhile Soviet Union.
Uzbekistan's independence in August 1991 has led to the
expansion and strengthening of bilateral ties between New Delhi and Tashkent
in the political, economic and cultural spheres. India was the first country visited
officially by President Karimov in August 1991. This was a
historic visit outlining the framework for mutually beneficial cooperation
between the two countries. Since then President Karimov has visited India thrice, in January 1994, May
2000 and April 2005. In May 1993, the then Indian Prime Minister Narasimha Rao visited Tashkent.
Manmohan Singh's visit is the second by an
Indian Prime Minister to Tashkent since Uzbekistan's independence. The political
dialogue between India and Uzbekistan has been regular and mutually
beneficial. High-level exchanges have indeed set the tempo to chart out the
scope and direction of cooperation and have also laid the foundation for
understanding of each other's interests and core concerns. Both countries
subscribe to common principles of inter-state conduct, peaceful settlement of
all differences, and rejection of extremism of all forms as well as the
principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries.
India-Uzbek cooperation spans many areas such as
economic and commercial, cultural, education and technical training in
diverse disciplines, information technology, science and technology,
agriculture and civil aviation, etc. India and Uzbekistan have signed as many as 60
agreements so far to promote cooperation in these diverse fields. It is
expected that about eight agreements would be signed during Dr. Singh's ongoing visit. One of these
could relate to Production Sharing Agreements (PSAs)
between ONGC Videsh Limited (OVL) of India and Uzbekneftegaz Company of Uzbekistan. Military training and
education is another important component of bilateral ties between New Delhi and Tashkent. An agreement to this effect
was signed during President Karimov's visit to India in April 2005.
Politico-military cooperation is an important part of
bilateral ties. Given the changed geo-political situation in Central Asia, this assumes greater
significance. The "Tulip Revolution" of March 2004 in Kyrgyzstan, and the "May 12-14 Unrest
in Andijon" in Uzbekistan have influenced the geopolitics
of Central
Asia.
The summit meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) held in
Astana on July 5-6, 2005 (India was admitted in the SCO as
Observer) also draws attention to these events. The summit's call on the
US-led "anti-terrorist coalition" to define a deadline for its
military presence on the territory of SCO member-countries is a strong
signal to be noted in this regard. Washington initially tried to deflect
SCO's call by claiming that it was guided by bilateral agreements with Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. However, Uzbek officials
subsequently notified the United States on July
31, 2005
that US forces would have six months to vacate the Karshi-Khanabad (K-2) air
base, located 90 miles north of the Afghanistan border. The US military flew its last plane
out from K-2 on November 21, 2005.
India and Uzbekistan have been playing a positive
role in the reconstruction of Afghanistan, which has been the launching
ground for incursions carried out by the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU)
and the Islamic Movement of Turkistan (IMT). These groups have declared goals
to overthrow the secular and constitutionally elected governments of the Central Asian Republics and establish an Islamic
Caliphate in the region. Extremist elements from the Central Asian Republics have reportedly been found
fighting along with Pakistani mujahideen in Jammu
& Kashmir. There is a clear nexus among the Islamic Revival Parties, the
Islamic Movement of Turkistan, Jamat-e-Islami
of Pakistan, Taliban and al Qaeda. We can afford to ignore these
developments in our neighbourhood only at our own peril. A victory for
extremist forces in Central Asia will boost the morale of extremist forces in
Jammu & Kashmir and elsewhere in India as well.
Given their shared concerns over threats from religious
fundamentalism, terrorism, extremism and cross-border terrorism, India and Uzbekistan have underlined the need to
further strengthen secular and democratic ideas in international relations.
In this regard, they are coordinating their efforts through a Joint Working
Group (JWG) on Combating International Terrorism. The last meeting of JWG on
Combating International Terrorism took place during October 28-November 1, 2005 in New Delhi and the next meeting is likely
to take place in Tashkent later this year. Both countries
emphasise the need for an early conclusion of the Comprehensive Convention on
Combating International Terrorism. It is expected that this issue will figure
in the Joint Statement, likely to be issued at the end of Dr Singh's visit to Uzbekistan. The two countries share common
values such as secularism, tolerance and strong opposition to the forces of
fundamentalism and terrorism. Signing of the Extradition Treaty between New Delhi and Tashkent during President Karimov's visit to India in May 2000 was a significant
development in this direction.
Energy security is paramount for a developing country
like India, which has begun to grow at an
accelerated pace. India's energy consumption is likely
to grow at over 6 per cent per annum. Central Asian Republics could provide a modicum of
energy security to India. Issues concerning energy are
likely to figure prominently in talks between Dr. Singh and President Karimov. The main hurdle is how to
bring hydrocarbons from Central Asia to India. In this regard, the issue of
the transport corridor assumes significance. It is noteworthy that Uzbekistan will be an important connecting
point in the new transport corridor between India and Central Asia, which is likely to come up
soon. The new upcoming route connecting India to Central Asia via Mumbai - Chah Bahar - Zaranj - Delaran - Heart - Naibabad - Khairaton - Termez
and further, has great potential. It will reduce the distance by 1500
kilometres when compared to the existing operational route, i.e., Mumbai-Bander Abbas-Mashhed-Turkmenabad
(earlier Chahar Su)-Bukhara and further.
Uzbek entrepreneurs can make use of the considerable
experience of Indian industry in areas such as textiles (both cotton and
silk), pharmaceuticals and medical equipment, information technology and
processing of agricultural products, to name only a few. Indian businessmen
have already shown interest to invest in some of these areas. Bilateral trade
in the past remained in the range of $30 to $40 million per annum. It reached
$108.6 million in 2003, very largely in favour of Uzbekistan and $ 120.9 million in 2004.
But it dropped to $ 61.1 million in 2005. Recently, the Inter-governmental
Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technological Cooperation
between India and Uzbekistan met in March 2006 in New Delhi to discuss ways and means to
exploit the economic potential that exists between New Delhi and Tashkent. Inauguration of the Jawaharlal
Nehru Information Technology Centre in Tashkent, built with Indian assistance,
by Dr. Singh tomorrow is a step further in
enhancing bilateral cooperation. The Centre has been built within the
framework of scientific and technology cooperation between the two countries.
In the field of defence, India had acquired six Ilyushin-78
in-flight refuelling aircraft from Uzbekistan. Indian aircraft are being
regularly serviced at the Chekalov aircraft plant in Tashkent. There is great potential for
co-operation between New Delhi and Tashkent in the aviation sector. The
issue of military training and education will figure in bilateral talks
between Dr. Singh and President Karimov. The Indian experience of
fighting terrorism and insurgency could prove handy for Uzbekistan given the hotspots in Ferghana Valley and other parts of Uzbekistan.
Cultural ties constitute an important pillar of our
bilateral relationship. There is a very active Indian cultural centre in Tashkent, which, besides working closely
with many Uzbek organizations, also conducts regular classes in Indian
classical dance "Kathak", Tabla, Yoga,
Hindi language and Indian studies. It is rather difficult to separate the
past from the present while discussing Indo-Uzbek cultural ties. The past
feeds and enriches the present and provides the ambience for the warm
relations that exist between the two countries.
In the final analysis, one can say that religious
extremism and international terrorism would remain challenges to Central
Asian security and stability. Indo-Uzbek cooperation would be an important
part of the international coalition against such forces in Afghanistan. Uzbekistan appreciates the active and
constructive stand taken by India on various regional and global
issues, for example, the reconstruction of Afghanistan and the fight against
international terrorism. Tashkent supports India's permanent membership at the
United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and resolution of Jammu & Kashmir
issue through bilateral talks between New Delhi and Islamabad. India has been a supporter of
evolutionary democracy. In pursuing policies for successful economic
development with equity, every nation would have to effectively base them on
its own history, culture and traditional value systems. Imitative policies,
which reflect the conditions in other countries, are not likely to be
effective.
For Uzbekistan, India could emerge as a major market for
its energy resources. Indications are that Uzbek enterprises and
entrepreneurs would welcome Indian participation via joint ventures in areas
like manufacture of electronic equipment, precision instruments, optical
instruments, textiles, ready-made garments and leather goods. Uzbekistan is in a good position to supply
items like phosphorous fertilizers, chemicals, aircraft and metals to India. Information Technology,
hydrocarbons, North-South transport corridor, deepening of bilateral
cooperation in the area of small and medium scale business and tourism appear
to be candidate areas in Indo-Uzbek economic cooperation with high potential
for success.
Dr. Ramakant Dwivedi is Associate Fellow at the Institute for Defence
Studies and Analyses, New Delhi.
Courtesy IDSA http://www.idsa.in/publications/stratcomments/RamakantDwivedi250406.htm
posted on April 25, 2006
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