India and Uzbekistan elevate relations to comprehensive strategic partnership

India and Uzbekistan have elevated their bilateral relations to a "comprehensive strategic partnership" following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Tashkent. The two nations set a trade target of $5 billion by 2030, with a specific focus on diversifying uranium supplies for India's nuclear energy sector. Uzbekistan, possessing some of the world's largest uranium reserves, serves as a critical link in New Delhi's energy security strategy as India seeks to reduce reliance on a limited pool of fuel suppliers. In addition to raw material imports, India is advancing domestic nuclear technologies. This includes the development of thorium-based reactors and small modular reactors (SMR) under the Bharat Small Reactors (BSR) program. SMRs offer easier scaling and deployment compared to traditional large-scale power units. To facilitate international cooperation and maintain safety standards, India is utilizing the SHANTI law passed in 2023, which streamlines the integration of foreign resources and technologies into the national system. New Delhi is shifting toward nuclear generation to stabilize its power grid. Unlike solar and wind energy, nuclear power plants provide a consistent base load of electricity independent of weather conditions.