Indian Lower House (Lok Sabha) Speaker Om Birla has said the age-old cooperation shared between India and Uzbekistan needs to be expanded in emerging fields like digital technology, artificial intelligence, renewable energy, and nuclear energy, alongside traditional sectors.

Birla made these remarks during his meeting with the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, in Tashkent on the sidelines of the 150th Assembly of Inter-Parliamentary Union on Monday.

Underlining India’s ancient democratic traditions, Birla mentioned that guided by the Constitution, India has continually expanded its democratic values and prioritized social inclusion.

He added that India has strengthened democracy at the grassroots level by ensuring 33 percent reservation for women in its local level governance.

Birla informed that by introducing the "Nari Shakti Vandan Act" as the first law in the new Parliament building, India not only reiterated its commitment to its democratic ethos but also ensured greater representation of women in state and central legislatures.

Birla observed that India the values of "VasudhaivaKutumbakam" (The World is One Family) and "SarvajanHitaya" (For the Welfare of All) are inseparable part of Indian tradition and the Constitution of India is also inspired by these values.

Indian Constitution Completes 75 Years

Mentioning that last year, India marked the completion of 75 of Constitution, Shri Birla noted that the numerous enabling laws passed by the Indian Parliament have been pivotal in realizing wide ranging socio-economic changes in India.

Strategic Partnership

Stressing on the elevation of Indo-Uzbek relationship to a Strategic Partnership and the addition of new dimensions in recent years, Birla underlined that both nations have strengthened cooperation in various areas like, economy, defense, education, and trade. He noted India is now one of Uzbekistan’s 10 largest trade partners.

Birla also highlighted the importance of increasing Parliamentary cooperation between the two Parliaments to exchange ideas on mutual interests and strengthen people-to-people contacts. He proposed promoting parliamentary exchanges in order to help both countries’ officials better understand each other’s systems and best practices.

In addition, Birla appreciated the growing interest in Indian culture in Uzbekistan, particularly in music, dance, and yoga, as well as the increasing number of Indian students in Uzbek educational institutions. He expressed confidence that this meeting would enhance the diplomatic and parliamentary relations between India and Uzbekistan, marking a new chapter in their collaborative efforts.

Birla and members of the Indian delegation also paid floral tributes at the bust of the former Prime Minister of India Lal Bahadur Shastri in Tashkent.