India and Uzbekistan expand cooperation under a new Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Economic collaboration was a central focus of the talks. According to the Uzbek government, bilateral trade hit $1.3 billion in 2025, representing a 33% increase. Both nations aim to boost annual trade to $5 billion by 2030. The number of joint ventures has risen sevenfold in recent years. Additionally, India and Uzbekistan maintain 14 direct flights each week, and four Indian universities currently operate within Uzbekistan. The leaders emphasized the importance of expanding industrial and commercial links. The two governments agreed to create a mechanism involving foreign ministers to oversee the implementation of bilateral agreements. They also plan to establish a joint working group to address non-tariff barriers and investment challenges. Following a feasibility study for an India-Uzbekistan Preferential Trade Agreement, officials will explore further steps. Priority sectors identified include energy, electrical engineering, metallurgy, critical minerals, and agriculture, with healthcare, pharmaceuticals, automobiles, electronics, mechanical engineering, and jewelry also discussed in economic terms. Enhancing cooperation across vital sectors through new agreements During the state visit, India and Uzbekistan signed 11 agreements, memoranda, and related arrangements covering areas such as culture, higher education, scientific research, environmental conservation, traditional medicine, tourism, geology, and mineral resources. The package also includes collaboration on archival work and ongoing economic and financial dialogue. An agreement was also signed connecting Gujarat state with Uzbekistan’s Samarkand region
At least 919 lives have been lost due to floods across Nepal and Tibet, with 4,793 individuals still missing following the disaster on August 26. Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority updated the death toll on Monday, reporting 903 fatalities and 4,247 missing persons. In Gyirong County, Tibetan officials documented 16 deaths and 546 missing residents. The numbers surged significantly from weekend figures as rescue teams expanded their search efforts into more flood-affected zones and updated records of missing individuals.
Business
The accord unites the Ministry of Investment and Downstreaming with the Ministry of Youth and Sports around issues of business licensing, investment promotion, and service facilitation for companies involved in sports sectors. These ministries will operate together through Indonesia’s Online Single Submission system, known as OSS, overseeing compliance, regulatory coordination, and data exchange. This framework focuses on fostering investment growth within Indonesia’s sports industry rather than setting a target for a US$521 billion domestic market. Thohir mentioned that the global sports market is valued at about US$521 billion, roughly equivalent to 8,000 trillion rupiah. He noted the industry’s annual growth rate of around 8%. This figure excludes sport tourism, which he estimates to be nearly US$600 billion worldwide. Indonesian officials see both sports and sport tourism as vital economic sectors linked to events, travel, and supporting industries. The memorandum establishes an administrative structure to facilitate investment activities within these areas.
News
India and Uzbekistan expand cooperation under a new Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Economic collaboration was a central focus of the talks. According to the Uzbek government, bilateral trade hit $1.3 billion in 2025, representing a 33% increase. Both nations aim to boost annual trade to $5 billion by 2030. The number of joint ventures has risen sevenfold in recent years. Additionally, India and Uzbekistan maintain 14 direct flights each week, and four Indian universities currently operate within Uzbekistan. The leaders emphasized the importance of expanding industrial and commercial links. The two governments agreed to create a mechanism involving foreign ministers to oversee the implementation of bilateral agreements. They also plan to establish a joint working group to address non-tariff barriers and investment challenges. Following a feasibility study for an India-Uzbekistan Preferential Trade Agreement, officials will explore further steps. Priority sectors identified include energy, electrical engineering, metallurgy, critical minerals, and agriculture, with healthcare, pharmaceuticals, automobiles, electronics, mechanical engineering, and jewelry also discussed in economic terms. Enhancing cooperation across vital sectors through new agreements During the state visit, India and Uzbekistan signed 11 agreements, memoranda, and related arrangements covering areas such as culture, higher education, scientific research, environmental conservation, traditional medicine, tourism, geology, and mineral resources. The package also includes collaboration on archival work and ongoing economic and financial dialogue. An agreement was also signed connecting Gujarat state with Uzbekistan’s Samarkand region
Health
Health authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo launched a targeted Ebola vaccination campaign in Kisangani, the capital of Tshopo Province, in an effort to curb the country’s deadliest outbreak of the disease on record. Frontline healthcare workers, emergency response personnel, and individuals who have had direct contact with confirmed cases are being prioritized during the initial phase of the deployment. Health Minister Roger Kamba confirmed that the government initiated the immunization campaign utilizing doses of the Ervebo vaccine to safeguard frontline personnel operating across impacted eastern provinces.
