Why in News?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred with Uzbekistan’s highest state honour for foreign leaders, the ‘Oliy Darajali Do‘stlik’ Order (Order of Highest Friendship), by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev at the Kuksaroy Presidential Palace in Tashkent on 30 August 2026. The honour came during PM Modi’s two-day State visit to Uzbekistan from 29–30 August.
Key Highlights
- PM Modi received the ‘Oliy Darajali Do‘stlik’ Order, Uzbekistan’s highest honour for foreign leaders.
- India and Uzbekistan upgraded their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
- Both countries set a target of increasing annual bilateral trade to $5 billion by 2030.
- The two sides agreed to work towards a long-term uranium supply arrangement, supported by wider cooperation in mining and geological resources.
- A new foreign minister-level mechanism will be set up to oversee the partnership.
- The existing Intergovernmental Commission will be upgraded from the secretary level to the ministerial level.
- 11 agreements and MoUs were exchanged in areas including mining, culture, education, tourism, archives and Ayurveda.
- India and Uzbekistan agreed to restore and conserve the ancient Buddhist sites of Fayaz Tepa and Kara Tepa in Termez.
‘Oliy Darajali Do‘stlik’ Order
- The ‘Oliy Darajali Do‘stlik’ Order, meaning Order of Highest Friendship, is Uzbekistan’s highest state honour for foreign leaders.
- PM Modi received the honour in recognition of his contribution to strengthening the friendship and strategic partnership between India and Uzbekistan.
- While accepting the award, PM Modi described it as a matter of great pride and dedicated it to the longstanding friendship between the two countries. He said the honour represented the people of India rather than him personally.
- The word ‘Do‘stlik’, meaning friendship in Uzbek, is also similar to ‘Dost’, commonly used in Hindi and Urdu. The reference highlights the historical and cultural links between the people of India and Uzbekistan.
