India, Uzbekistan hold first meeting of the National Coordination Committee

India and Uzbekistan held their first meeting of the National Coordination Committee for monitoring implementation of mutually agreed projects between India and Uzbekistan on Monday.

According to an official statement by the Ministry of External Affairs, both countries reviewed the ongoing and planned activities of bilateral economic and trade cooperation.

"Both sides comprehensively reviewed the ongoing and planned activities of bilateral economic and trade cooperation, including the status of negotiations for concluding a Bilateral Investment Treaty, Preferential Trade Agreement, mutual market access for agricultural produce of both countries, implementation of identified projects under India's Lines of Credit, cooperation between the state of Gujarat and the Andijan region of Uzbekistan, and the India-Uzbekistan Entrepreneurship Development Centre at Tashkent," read the statement.

The Committee was constituted under the directions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. It was held under the co-chairmanship of Minister of State for External Affairs, V. Muraleedharan and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Investments and Foreign Trade of Uzbekistan, Sardor Umurzakov.

Post the meeting, Muraleedharan tweeted, "Co-chaired 1st India-Uzbekistan National Coordination Committees meeting with HE Sardor Umurzakov. A fruitful discussion on LoC projects, bilateral trade and investment. Confident that committees' work will further deepen India-Uzbekistan strategic relations."

The MEA further stated that the co-chairs expressed satisfaction at the progress achieved in various projects and expressed hope that the expeditious completion of the projects will further strengthen bilateral trade and investment.

After the discussion, Muraleedharan extended an invitation to Umurzakov to visit India as per mutual convenience.