India flags critical minerals supply as key area for deeper energy cooperation with Uzbekistan

New Delhi: India has identified critical minerals supply as an important area for advancing energy cooperation with Uzbekistan, saying the country’s rapidly expanding digital economy—including rising demand from artificial intelligence (AI), data centres and advanced computing—requires reliable and clean baseload power.

Baseload power refers to the minimum, continuous and stable electricity supply required round the clock to keep essential systems running.

The issue was discussed during the 14th session of the India-Uzbekistan Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technological Cooperation, co-chaired by commerce secretary Rajesh Agrawal and Uzbekistan’s deputy minister of investment, industry and trade Shokhrukh Gulamov.

Energy was discussed as an area of strategic cooperation during the meeting, the government said in a statement. India noted that its fast-growing digital economy requires reliable and clean baseload power and identified ensuring critical minerals supply as an important area for advancing India-Uzbekistan energy cooperation.

The two sides also agreed to deepen trade ties, address non-tariff barriers and work towards doubling bilateral trade over the next three years, according to the statement.

During the discussions, Agrawal stressed the need for regular review of non-tariff barriers relating to approvals, standards, testing, certification, customs procedures and market-access requirements. He said businesses require predictability, regulators need dialogue and standards bodies need direct contact, adding that a time-bound mechanism for resolving such barriers would help translate goodwill into concrete trade outcomes.

The commission reviewed the full range of bilateral economic engagement and reaffirmed the strategic character of India-Uzbekistan relations.

Both sides welcomed the growth in bilateral trade. Uzbekistan reported that trade turnover with India reached $1.3 billion in 2025, a growth of 33.3% over the previous year. Uzbekistan's exports to India stood at $164.6 million, up 25.4%, while its imports from India reached $1.15 billion, registering a growth of 34.6%.

India's exports to Uzbekistan have grown at a compound annual growth rate of 12.9% over the past decade, while India's services exports to the Central Asian country stood at $372.2 million in 2024.

The two countries discussed expanding trade across a range of sectors, including pharmaceuticals, medical devices, agricultural products, processed foods, agricultural machinery, engineering goods, electrical machinery, electronics, smartphones, automobiles and auto components, tractor accessories, textiles and textile machinery, chemicals, healthcare services, education services, tourism, logistics and other business services.

Pharmaceuticals were identified as a priority area, with India highlighting its role as the "Pharmacy of the World" and its capacity to supply affordable and quality-assured medicines, vaccines and active pharmaceutical ingredients.

Agriculture and allied sectors also featured prominently in the discussions. Both sides recognized India's capabilities in agricultural and allied exports, processed foods, agricultural machinery, seed development, agricultural research and climate-resilient farming technologies.

The two sides also discussed information and communication technology (ICT) and digital cooperation. India highlighted its capabilities in IT, digital public infrastructure, telecom, fintech, cybersecurity, health services, digital education, engineering consultancy and digital logistics. The Indian side suggested cooperation on customs data exchange and exploring interlinking of payment infrastructure to support tourism, trade and commerce.

Transport and logistics connectivity also came up for discussion, with both sides recognizing that robust connectivity is essential for unlocking the full economic potential of the relationship. The Uzbek side proposed sharing its experience in digital logistics platforms and customs facilitation mechanisms.

Agrawal invited Uzbek businesses to participate more actively in trade fairs, buyer-seller meets, investment forums and sectoral events in India. Both sides also agreed to encourage closer engagement between chambers of commerce, export promotion councils, enterprises and sectoral bodies.