Tashkent [Uzbekistan], April 7 (ANI): India and Uzbekistan must take forward their historic partnership into emerging areas such as digital technology, artificial intelligence, renewable energy, and nuclear energy, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said on Monday.

Birla made the remarks during a meeting with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in Tashkent, where he is leading the Indian delegation to the 150th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).

Describing the Indo-Uzbek relationship as rooted in centuries of shared heritage, Birla noted that this longstanding cooperation needed to be deepened in new sectors, alongside traditional ones. During his discussions with President Mirziyoyev, Birla emphasised the importance of building on this foundation to enhance bilateral collaboration in areas of strategic and technological relevance.

The Lok Sabha Speaker underlined India's ancient and enduring democratic traditions, stating that the country has consistently worked to strengthen democratic values and foster social inclusion under the guidance of its Constitution. He said India has empowered grassroots democracy through 33 per cent reservation for women in local governance.

In this context, Birla drew attention to the 'Nari Shakti Vandan Act', which was passed as the first law in India's new Parliament building. According to him, this law demonstrates India's commitment to democratic ethos and guarantees greater representation of women in legislative bodies at both state and national levels.

Reiterating India's commitment to inclusive governance, Birla said that India's constitutional values are deeply inspired by the principles of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' (The World is One Family) and 'Sarvajan Hitaya' (For the Welfare of All), which are intrinsic to Indian tradition.

He also mentioned that in 2023, India commemorated 75 years of the adoption of its Constitution, and noted that enabling legislation passed by the Indian Parliament has played a transformative role in driving broad-based social and economic progress.

Highlighting the growing strategic depth in Indo-Uzbek ties, Birla said that the relationship has been elevated to a Strategic Partnership and continues to acquire new dimensions. He noted that the two countries have strengthened collaboration in diverse areas including economy, defence, education, and trade, with India now among Uzbekistan's top ten trading partners.

Birla further stressed the need to expand parliamentary exchanges and cooperation to deepen people-to-people contacts and facilitate mutual understanding of institutional practices and frameworks.

The Speaker also welcomed Uzbekistan's growing interest in Indian culture--particularly music, dance, and yoga--and noted the rising number of Indian students pursuing higher education in the country. Expressing confidence in the outcome of his meetings, Birla said that the exchanges in Tashkent would contribute to further strengthening both diplomatic and parliamentary relations between the two nations.

Earlier in the day, Birla and other members of the Indian Parliamentary Delegation paid floral tributes at the bust of former Indian Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri in Tashkent, commemorating his historical association with the city.

On Sunday, Lok Sabha Speaker Birla also held bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the IPU Assembly with parliamentary counterparts from Israel, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan. In his meeting with Israeli Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, Birla recalled their previous interaction in New Delhi in April 2023 and acknowledged Ohana's contributions to Israel's national development. He highlighted the India-Israel strategic partnership as one based on shared democratic ideals and mutual aspirations.

Birla praised the high-level engagements and ongoing collaboration in fields such as technology, agriculture, and defence. He also welcomed the formation of a parliamentary friendship group between India and Israel, calling it a significant step towards enhancing cooperation at the parliamentary level.

Later, Birla met with Tanzila Norbaeva, Chairperson of the Oliy Majlis of Uzbekistan, and congratulated her on successfully hosting the 150th IPU Assembly. He thanked the Uzbek Parliament for the hospitality extended to the Indian delegation and acknowledged the rapid progress made by Uzbekistan across various sectors.

Birla reiterated the strong bilateral relationship between India and Uzbekistan and emphasised that both countries share close historical bonds and work together in international forums including the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), United Nations, and BRICS. He once again stressed the need to expand cooperation in emerging technologies alongside existing areas of engagement.

In another important bilateral interaction, Birla met Yerlan Koshanov, Chairperson of the Mazhilis (lower house) of Kazakhstan. Congratulating Kazakhstan on the 30th anniversary of its Constitution, Birla noted that India too marked 75 years of its Constitution in 2023. He stated that the values enshrined in the Indian Constitution have guided the country's transformation into a welfare state over the past seven decades.

Proposing the establishment of regular dialogues between the Parliaments of India and Kazakhstan, Birla said that such engagement would enable the two countries to share best practices and expand mutual understanding.

He also welcomed the growing scope of political and economic cooperation between India and Kazakhstan, especially in areas such as defence, security, digital innovation, energy, and space. Birla underlined that regular parliamentary interactions can serve as a foundation for stronger bilateral ties and long-term collaboration in these critical sectors.

Through these high-level meetings during the IPU Assembly in Tashkent, Birla reaffirmed India's continued focus on building stronger parliamentary partnerships with countries in Central Asia and the Middle East, based on shared democratic values and mutual interests. (ANI)