Indian Premier leaves for Uzbekistan

The Hindustan Times April 22 India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will pay a day-long visit to Uzbekistan on his way back from Germany at the invitation of President Islam Karimov to renew two-way ties with the Central Asian republic, with which India has deep cultural and civilizational links. Manmohan Singh is accompanied by Commerce Minister Kamal Nath, Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal, National Security Adviser MK Narayanan, Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran and several top officials. Manmohan Singh said Uzbekistan was an important country in the Central Asian region, which New Delhi considers a part of an extended neighbourhood. "We hope to build on our traditional ties in providing them with new meaning and substance including in the political, economic, defence, energy, science and technology and cultural fields," he added.