Samarkand [Uzbekistan], October 20 : US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor on Tuesday (local time) said the strategic partnership between the United States and Uzbekistan was “stronger than ever” following a bilateral meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in Samarkand.
In a post on X, Gor said he was honoured to join Rubio for the meeting with Mirziyoyev, highlighting the growing economic and strategic engagement between the two countries.
“I was honored to join @SecRubio yesterday for a bilateral meeting with @president_uz Shavkat Mirziyoyev. The U.S.–Uzbekistan strategic partnership is stronger than ever as we accelerate negotiations on a Reciprocal Trade & Investment Framework,” Gor said.
The meeting comes as the United States seeks to expand its economic engagement with Central Asia, with trade, investment, critical minerals and regional security expected to feature prominently in high-level discussions during Rubio's visit.
Rubio arrived in Samarkand on Sunday for his first official visit to Central Asia, leading a US delegation comprising more than 200 business executives.
Ahead of the engagements, Gor described Rubio's arrival as a “historic day”, highlighting the upcoming C5+1 Ministerial meeting and the US-Uzbekistan Business Council as important platforms for strengthening commercial ties and unlocking new economic opportunities across the region.
“Looking forward to the C5+1 Ministerial and U.S.-Uzbekistan Business Council, which will deepen commercial ties and unlock new opportunities across Central Asia,” Gor said in an earlier post on X.
The C5+1 framework brings together the United States and five Central Asian republics -- Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and the Kyrgyz Republic. The ministerial meeting is expected to focus on strategic cooperation, regional stability, trade, investment, critical minerals and security.
According to the US Department of State, Rubio's October 17-22 trip includes engagements in Samarkand, followed by visits to Mumbai and Jamnagar in India.
During his India visit, Rubio is scheduled to meet senior government officials and business leaders to strengthen the US-India strategic partnership, exchange views on regional and global developments, and explore opportunities for enhanced energy cooperation and commercial investment.