Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman met Uzbekistan’s Minister of Investments, Industry and Trade, Laziz Kudratov ahead of the Annual Meeting of Board of Governors of Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), in Samarkand. Both the Ministers discussed issues of mutual interest related to bilateral trade, especially in the areas of Renewable Energy, Fertiliser and Pharmaceutical sector.

        The Ministry of Finance has said, both the Ministers acknowledged the successful agreement towards the Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) between India and Uzbekistan. They also agreed that it will bolster investors’ confidence in each other’s market especially in the healthcare, hospitality and tourism sector.

        The ministry statement said, both Ministers also discussed the Digital Payments revolution in India, including RuPay card and UPI mechanism. Mr. Kudratov appreciated India’s growth story and stressed to further enhance the bilateral trade and connectivity.