Uzbekistan and India have signed a protocol marking the conclusion of their bilateral market access negotiations, a critical step in Uzbekistan’s ongoing accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO). The development was announced on LinkedIn by , the Presidential WTO Envoy/Chief Negotiator Azizbek Urunov.
According to Urunov, the substantive agreements with the Indian side regarding market access were reached back in 2024.
"It required a certain amount of effort to complete the technical verification and finalize the text of the Protocol with the Indian side. That being said, India demonstrated a highly constructive approach to the core issues of market access," he stated.
Urunov expressed his gratitude to India for its consistent support of Uzbekistan's integration into the WTO. He specifically highlighted the diplomatic contributions of Sardor Rustambaev, Uzbekistan's Ambassador to India, and Smita Pant, India's Ambassador to Uzbekistan.
The chief negotiator noted that the Uzbek side will immediately forward an original copy of the signed protocol to the WTO Secretariat for consolidation, ensuring the document is officially integrated into the country's comprehensive accession package.
Uzbekistan had originally aimed to complete its WTO accession process ahead of the organization's 14th Ministerial Conference in March 2026, though that milestone passed without a final resolution. Urunov previously noted that several member nations have been slow to review the necessary documentation, warning late last year of risks tied to "unintentional delays" in the timeline.
Uzbekistan is now actively working to secure its full WTO membership before the end of 2026.
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