PM Modi and President Mirziyoyev were seen traveling together by car from the airport to the presidential palace, where they then held a dinner meeting.

Updated on: Aug 30, 2026, 14:17:00 IST

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is currently on a two-day trip to Uzbekistan, was received by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev upon his arrival in Tashkent late on Saturday. He was once again spotted taking a car ride with the Uzbek leader, in his latest instance of “car diplomacy.”

PM Modi received a grand welcome in the presence of President Mirziyoyev, with the country's state anthem, "O`zbekiston Respublikasining Davlat Madhiyasi"

Sharing images on social media platform X, PM Modi said he was grateful to Mirziyoyev for the warm welcome. “Landed in Tashkent to a warm welcome by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. Grateful to him for the special gesture.” Follow PM Modi's Uzbekistan visit live updates

Among the many pictures that the prime minister shared, one particularly brought back the memories of ‘car diplomacy’ trend that had gained momentum after PM Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin rode together for their bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Tianjin, China, in 2025.

The two leaders, PM Modi and President Mirziyoyev were seen traveling together by car from the airport to the presidential palace, where they then held a dinner meeting. Other pictures showed the two leaders sharing a hug.

PM Modi’s ‘car diplomacy’

This is not the first time PM Modi has been seen sharing a ride with another world leader. A similar gesture was seen during the prime minister's rare visit to Jordan in 2025, where he was driven around by Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II to the Jordan Museum in Amman.

Another show of 'car diplomacy' was during PM Modi's visit to Ethiopia, where not only was he personally received by the Ethiopian prime minister, but was also driven to his hotel by the leader.

Following his visit to Uzbekistan, the prime minister will travel to Kyrgyzstan to participate in the SCO Summit and hold bilateral meetings, including with Russian President Vladimir Putin, on the margins of the gathering.

PM Modi’s welcome

PM Modi received a cultural welcome featuring traditional dance performances and a fusion of Indian and Uzbek traditions by members of the Indian diaspora.

The performances included a Bollywood Battle Group rendition of the song “Ude Jab Jab Zulfein Teri”; a fusion of Kathak and the energetic Andijan Polka; and a Kathak performance by students of the Lal Bahadur Shastri Centre for Indian Culture.

Reflecting on the event, PM Modi called the welcome in Tashkent “a delightful celebration of India-Uzbekistan cultural ties!”

Landmark buildings across the Uzbek capital, including the iconic Hilton Hotel, were also lit in the vibrant tricolour hues of the Indian national flag.

Uzbekistan loves Yoga: PM Modi

PM Modi also attended a yoga event in Tashkent, during his visit to Uzbekistan. In a video posted on his social media handles, the PM thanked the Uzbek president for connecting the country with yoga and remarked “Uzbekistan loves Yoga.”

He recalled that Uzbekistan was a “proud” participant in the first ever World Yogasana Championship held in Ahmedabad earlier this year.

“Some of the medalists were also present today. They came back with great memories of India and the Championship. I commend the Yoga Federation of Uzbekistan for their work towards making Yoga popular,” he wrote on X.

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