India and Uzbekistan Advance Talks on Long-Term Uranium Supply

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On August 30, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in Tashkent, as the two sides continued to advance arrangements for Uzbekistan to supply uranium to India on a long-term basis. India's Ministry of External Affairs stated that consultations have made progress and that the two sides are close to signing a formal agreement in the near future, with discussions and preparations for signing still underway.

India and Uzbekistan signed their previous long-term supply contract on January 18, 2019, under which Uzbekistan agreed to supply India with 1,100 metric tons of natural uranium ore concentrate between 2022 and 2026. The current consultations target a new long-term supply arrangement, with specific supply volumes, contract duration, and contracting parties yet to be disclosed.

The joint statement issued by the two countries following the talks also outlined areas of cooperation in geology, mining, nuclear energy, and critical and strategic minerals, covering mineral resource processing, value-added product manufacturing, and material recycling. The two sides will encourage Indian companies to participate in the development of potential mineral deposits in Uzbekistan and support Uzbek enterprises in undertaking joint projects with their Indian counterparts, while also expanding cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.

Uzbekistan produced approximately 4,000 metric tons of uranium in 2024, ranking fifth globally. India currently operates 24 nuclear power reactors with a total installed capacity of about 7,900 megawatts, sourcing uranium imports from countries including Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Canada. India has set a target of increasing its nuclear power capacity to 100 gigawatts by 2047.