AGP Executive Report

BRICS Summit Tech & Trade: India kicked off the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi with leaders including Putin and Xi, pushing a New Delhi Declaration on UN Security Council reform, counter-terror steps, and Global South participation—while journalists highlighted local-currency trade and digital payments as key themes. Uzbekistan in the AI spotlight: A South African open-source tool, TextAugment, is helping researchers build language tech with limited digital data, and it’s already being used for Uzbek among other languages. Health tech cooperation in Uzbekistan: China’s Peking University People’s Hospital team returned to Samarkand for its fifth “Journey to Sight” mission, aiming for 300 free cataract operations and training exchanges with local eye doctors. India–UAE science agenda: Modi met Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince Khaled to deepen cooperation in defence, AI, space, critical minerals, energy, and connectivity, alongside a reported $11.5B green aluminium project in Odisha. EU sanctions ripple: France joined Slovakia in seeking delisting Uzbek-born Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov from EU sanctions, adding pressure to EU decision timelines.

Korea-Central Asia Summit: South Korea’s President Lee Jae Myung will host the inaugural Korea–Central Asia summit in Seoul next Wednesday, aiming to deepen energy and critical-mineral cooperation and link Korean energy exploration and mineral processing tech with Central Asia’s resources. Trade Corridor Watch: Uzbek rail officials say a 55-car block train of Chinese goods has entered Kazakhstan and will travel about 6,000 km through Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan to Iran, with the exact cargo contents still unclear. Uzbek Payments Upgrade: Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan will launch cross-border QR-code payments, letting Uzbek users pay in Kazakhstan via the Kazakh QR system and Kazakh users pay in Uzbekistan via UzQR, plus plans for cross-border card transfers through mobile banking. BRICS Finance Push: Ahead of the New Delhi BRICS summit, Putin pitched an NDB-based investment platform for trade, logistics and technology, while Iran’s Pezeshkian urged wider use of national currencies and digital customs to reduce shock risk. Uzbek Tech & Policy: Uzbekistan’s Senate approved Latin alphabet changes (Ö, Ğ, Ş, Ç) to standardize spelling for schools, media and digital systems. Innovation Spotlight: IT Park Uzbekistan and partners backed the Road to TechCrunch Startup Battlefield 2026 regional winners—Cerberus, WeGlobal AI and LOOQ—advancing to TechCrunch Disrupt.

BRICS Finance & Payments: Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian urged BRICS to shift toward local currencies, backed by risk-management and reciprocal settlements, and pushed the New Development Bank to finance BRICS infrastructure in national currencies. BRICS Tech & Investment: Vladimir Putin pitched an NDB-based investment platform for trade, logistics and technology, saying BRICS cooperation is “not against anyone.” BRICS Summit Logistics: New Delhi is preparing for the 18th BRICS Summit with major security deployments and tight traffic rules as leaders including Xi, Putin and Pezeshkian arrive. Uzbekistan Alphabet Reform: Uzbekistan’s Senate approved Latin alphabet changes, replacing apostrophe-based letter forms with single letters (Ö, Ğ, Ş, Ç), aiming to fix digital and indexing problems. Customs Modernization: The WCO Secretary General visited Tashkent, praising Uzbekistan’s “New Uzbekistan Customs–2030” strategy and opening the 7th Global Canine Forum. Education Benchmarking: A new OECD PISA assessment highlights Central Asia’s student performance gaps; Uzbekistan topped the region in science. Korea–Central Asia Summit: Seoul will host the first Korea–Central Asia Summit on Sept. 16, with Uzbekistan among key partners on innovation, energy and connectivity. Uzbek–Serbia Agriculture: Uzbekistan seeks Serbian nursery expertise to build modern fruit seedling production and intensive orchards. Stablecoins Watch: Stablecoin momentum continues as Uzbekistan advances sovereign stablecoin plans alongside Switzerland.

Uzbek Alphabet Overhaul: Uzbekistan’s Senate approved Latin-script amendments that expand the Uzbek alphabet to 28 letters plus one apostrophe, replacing several two-letter combinations (e.g., Ş, Ç, Ö, Ğ) to fix long-running digital typing and search inconsistencies. BRICS Summit Security & Media: Ahead of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi (Sept 12–13), Delhi Police says it has mobilized 15,000+ personnel and about 200 CAPF units, with route “sanitisation” and traffic controls; the MEA also expects 1,200–1,300 journalists and is setting up an international media centre at Bharat Mandapam. Uzbekistan’s Investor Push: Saida Mirziyoyeva was appointed manager of the Tashkent International Financial Center, a special legal-regime hub aimed at attracting long-term foreign investment, including digital assets and Islamic finance. Regional Tech & Culture: Uzbekistan’s contemporary arts scene gets a boost as the Center for Contemporary Arts Tashkent (CCA Tashkent) expands residencies, research, and education, including a Samarkand programme on “Climate Cartographies.” Afghanistan Security Warning: A new look at the 9/11 legacy says al-Qaeda-linked armed groups still operate in Afghanistan under Taliban rule, despite claims of “no sanctuary.”

BRICS Summit Watch: India will host the 18th BRICS Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi on Sept. 12–13, with talks focused on food, energy and health resilience, disaster-risk reduction, critical supply chains, and technology cooperation under the “Humanity First” theme. India–China Diplomacy: China confirmed Xi Jinping’s attendance, expected to meet Modi on the sidelines as both sides work to stabilize ties after years of border tensions. Uzbekistan–Tech & Minerals: Recyclekaro and Uzbekistan’s TMK plan a joint venture to build e-waste and lithium-ion battery recycling plus critical mineral recovery capacity, starting with Uzbekistan and later expanding across Central Asia. Uzbekistan Archaeology: Excavations near Samarkand uncovered an 8th-century palace complex at Mingtepa, including sculpture fragments that may shed light on early medieval governance and culture. Defense Tech: Uzbekistan’s MoD says it has inducted China-built J-10CE fighter jets, marking a major upgrade for the air force. Education Lens: A PISA commentary argues rankings matter less than diagnosing weak points in reading, math, and science to guide education reforms.

E-waste & Batteries: Recyclekaro and Uzbekistan’s TMK have started feasibility work for a joint venture recycling facility in Uzbekistan, aiming first at critical metal recovery from local materials, then expanding to e-waste and end-of-life batteries across Central Asia. BRICS Summit Watch: India’s BRICS summit in New Delhi (Sept. 12–13) will push resilience in food, energy, health, disaster reduction and critical supply chains, with leaders including Xi, Putin, Pezeshkian and others; negotiators are still working through differences over West Asia. Uzbekistan–India Tech & Policy Ties: Coverage around PM Modi’s Uzbekistan visit highlights upgraded India–Uzbekistan cooperation, including a push on trade, connectivity and payments. Education & Skills: OECD PISA 2025 results show record-low reading/math/science scores across OECD countries, raising concerns about foundational skills—an issue relevant for regional education planning. Uzbekistan Mobility Deal: Uzbekistan and Serbia signed an agreement to cooperate on mobility and labor migration, with plans for joint projects and trade follow-ups. Health Capacity Building: Uzbekistan is listed among participating countries in an international nursing leadership programme in India. Science in Culture: A study finds Beatles lyrics are referenced thousands of times in scientific paper titles, including examples tied to Uzbekistan.

Uzbekistan–India Diplomacy: PM Modi’s visit to Uzbekistan upgraded ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, with higher-level coordination and a push toward $5B trade by 2030, including finance dialogue and connectivity plans. Renewables & Grid Tech: Trinasolar’s 126 MW Sarimay Solar project in Khorezm is now commissioned, adding major clean power to Uzbekistan’s grid as the country targets 40% renewables by 2030. Regional Energy Cooperation: Serbia and Uzbekistan signed an MoU on renewable energy and green technologies, covering R&D, pilot projects, expert exchanges, and possible joint working groups. Space Education: Chinese astronauts aboard Tiangong delivered a live in-orbit lesson to Hong Kong and Macao students, including microgravity demos and station tech. Education Metrics: OECD PISA 2025 reports record lows across reading, math, and science, while Kazakhstan’s results show long-term science gains even as math declines. Cybersecurity Warning: A Vietnam-linked database exposed 220M traveler records for years due to misconfigurations, highlighting ongoing risks in critical systems. Trade Facilitation: A Middle Corridor customs pilot used eTIR for a cross-Caspian shipment across Azerbaijan–Turkmenistan–Uzbekistan, showing how digital transit could cut border paperwork. Science & Industry in Uzbekistan: Namangan’s governor says Chinese technology is accelerating industrial transformation, including agriculture upgrades and large solar rollout. BRICS in Focus: BRICS leaders’ summit in New Delhi (Sept 12–13) is set to shape Global South cooperation on governance, security, finance, and tech.

Uzbekistan–Armenia Talks: Foreign ministries met in Yerevan to push wider cooperation in trade, investment, high technology, education, tourism, and transport, with both sides highlighting restored direct air links and plans to deepen connectivity. Uzbekistan–Serbia Tech & Trade Push: In Belgrade, the two countries exchanged 20 documents covering digitalisation and e-government, customs cooperation, renewable energy and green tech, a customs and transport framework, and steps toward a free trade agreement working group. Central Asia Air Power Update: Uzbekistan confirmed it operates China’s J-10CE fighter jets, a major shift for a region long tied to Soviet/Russian aircraft and a new test for China’s advanced combat-aircraft export footprint. Middle Corridor Rail Progress: The China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway moved from plans to construction, with tunnel excavation reported on the Kyrgyz section—another signal that Eurasian logistics is accelerating. Digital Policy for Uzbekistan: The OECD launched an investment policy framework for digital transformation, aiming to help governments attract private capital into digital ecosystems—timely for Uzbekistan’s tech and skills agenda. Education & Skills Warning: OECD PISA 2025 showed sharp declines in reading and maths among 15-year-olds, a reminder that AI-ready infrastructure also needs stronger foundational learning. Space Ambitions in the Region: Kazakhstan showcased plans to grow its space industry and discuss a Central Asia space agency at Space Days Kazakhstan 2026. Nomadic Heritage Goes Digital: Scholars at a Kyrgyzstan conference tied to the World Nomad Games urged living preservation of nomadic music and storytelling, including digital archives and AI tools with rights-aware documentation. Connectivity Boost for Uzbekistan: A new Hyderabad–Tashkent flight route is set to support tourism, healthcare, education, and technology links between India and Uzbekistan.

Uzbekistan–Serbia Economic Push: Uzbekistan and Serbia kicked off their first Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation in Belgrade, exchanging 20 cooperation documents spanning digitalisation, e-government, customs, renewable energy, transport, agriculture, tourism, culture and a roadmap toward free-trade talks. Eurasian Rail Progress: The China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway is moving from plans to construction, with excavation completed on a Kyrgyz tunnel and work underway across dozens of tunnels, bridges and station areas—key for faster Central Asia logistics. Aviation & Defense Signals: Uzbekistan’s official footage showing Chinese J-10CE fighter jets adds a new supplier to the region’s air-power mix and reshapes Central Asia’s defense procurement landscape. Education Tech Warning: OECD’s PISA 2025 flags steep declines for 15-year-olds in reading and maths, raising concerns about how AI-era learning habits may be weakening core skills. Science & Culture for Nomads: Scholars from 23 countries called for coordinated efforts to preserve nomadic heritage, including digital archives and living-tradition support, after a Kyrgyz-hosted international conference. Uzbek Talent Focus: A new analysis argues Uzbekistan’s next competitive edge is talent—backed by digital reforms, startups and university-industry links.

BRICS Summit Prep: India is set to host the 18th BRICS Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi on Sept 12-13, with a Business Forum and Women’s Business Alliance events on Sept 11, focusing on trade, digital tech, finance, energy security, and governance reform. Uzbek Talent Push: A new analysis argues Uzbekistan’s next competitive edge will come from building, attracting, and retaining talent—linking universities, industry, and research to turn education spending into innovation and high-value jobs. Digital Money Policy: Uzbekistan’s central bank says a retail CBDC has “no value,” pointing instead to privately issued stablecoins for retail use, while a wholesale CBDC is still being explored for cross-border trade. Nuclear Oversight Shift: Uzbekistan is proposing a joint engineering venture to provide independent technical oversight for its first nuclear power plant, signaling a move away from relying solely on Russia’s Rosatom. Uzbek-Serbia Tech & Trade: Uzbekistan’s president begins a Serbia visit with talks aimed at expanding investment and business-to-business ties, including IT, agriculture, and light industry. CKU Railway Progress: China reports major progress on the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway, with the first tunnel drilled on the Kyrgyz section, boosting a faster Central Asia trade route. Cultural Science Diplomacy: Qatar is participating in a Tashkent conference on Islamic cultural heritage and its role in global science, highlighting cultural diplomacy through research and scholarly exchange. Art Infrastructure: Uzbekistan’s restored Centre for Contemporary Arts Tashkent opens in a repurposed 1912 industrial building, adding a research library and international exhibition links.

Nuclear Oversight: Uzbekistan is proposing a joint engineering venture to give independent technical oversight of its first nuclear power plant near Jizzakh, with the partner reviewing design and monitoring construction quality as work continues on VVER-1000 and RITM-200N units. Regional Water Security: Central Asia’s water stress is intensifying as climate change disrupts supplies and downstream states face rising irrigation demand, pushing countries toward more practical basin-level coordination and tougher agreement on shared rules. Islamic Science Diplomacy: Qatar is taking part in a Tashkent conference on Islamic cultural heritage and global scientific pathways, aiming to link researchers and highlight the legacy of Uzbek scholars. Digital Payments Link: India’s Raghav Chadha told Uzbekistan’s IPU forum that digital inclusion must protect rights at the grassroots, pointing to India–Uzbekistan interoperability plans connecting UPI with Uzbekistan’s UZQR for easier cross-border payments. Qatar–Uzbek Arts Exchange: Sheikha Al Mayassa inaugurated CCA Tashkent, Uzbekistan’s first permanent contemporary arts centre, launching a five-year Qatar Museums–ACDF collaboration. Trade & Investment Talks: Uzbekistan and Serbia are exploring new business-to-business investment projects in areas including agriculture, ICT, and light industry, leveraging GSP+ opportunities. BRICS Judicial Cooperation: China’s top judge Zhang Jun urged BRICS courts to deepen cooperation and “digital justice” as India hosted the forum with bilateral meetings involving Uzbekistan.

Uzbekistan Startup Finance: Uzbekistan will launch the “Future Entrepreneur” program (2027–2030) with state-backed venture funding for up to 30 startups, offering interest-free convertible loans/SAFE deals and targeting tech-heavy sectors like electrical and mechanical engineering, pharma, chemicals, construction materials, and water/energy saving technologies. Nuclear Cooperation Shift: Uzbekistan appears to be rethinking its nuclear partnership with Russia’s Rosatom after a new project-management consortium was proposed, with Rosatom notably absent from a recent presidential update—signaling a possible change in oversight and roles. Digital Payments Link: At the IPU conference in Samarkand, Indian MP Raghav Chadha pushed the India–Uzbekistan UPI/UZQR interoperability model, arguing digital access must come with rights, safety, and equal opportunity. Tech & Talent Spotlight: NVIDIA reported an AI system outscoring all humans at IOI 2026 in Tashkent, underscoring Uzbekistan’s role in global AI and computing milestones. Arts & Research Infrastructure: Qatar Museums chair Sheikha Al Mayassa inaugurated CCA Tashkent, Uzbekistan’s first permanent contemporary arts centre, housed in a 1912 industrial building and positioned as a hub for contemporary art, research, and cultural exchange. Culture Diplomacy: Uzbekistan and Qatar marked expanding ties as the country celebrates 35 years of independence, with cooperation spanning investment, energy, infrastructure, transport, tourism, and education. Engineering Progress: Work continues on the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway, including construction of the tallest bridge in Suzak district, Kyrgyzstan, as the corridor advances.

Startups Funding Push: Uzbekistan plans a new “Future Entrepreneur” program (2027–2030) to back up to 30 startups with interest-free convertible loans/SAFE deals up to 5 billion soums each, with an initial 150 billion soums budget and focus areas including engineering, pharma, chemicals, construction materials, and water/energy-saving tech. Digital Payments Link: India’s UPI is being positioned as a model for digital rights and inclusion, with interoperability talks between Uzbekistan’s UZQR and India’s UPI ecosystem aimed at simpler QR payments for travelers and students. Science & Heritage in Motion: A Kyrgyz-hosted international scientific conference at the Nomadic Civilization center will bring researchers from many countries to study nomadic heritage, archaeology, sustainable development, and digitalization. Engineering Milestone: Work continues on the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway, including the Kech-Alat bridge in Suzak (956.67m long, 96m tallest pier, 122m total height) and tunnel progress on the Kyrgyz section. Cultural Tech & Research Space: Qatar Museums’ Sheikha Al Mayassa inaugurated CCA Tashkent, a new permanent contemporary arts hub in a 1912 building, opening Sept 6 with a multidisciplinary program for exhibitions and cultural exchange. Ancient History Twist: New research reports 80,000-year-old arrowhead-like tools from Uzbekistan’s Obi-Rakhmat site, adding fresh context to debates about early Homo sapiens movements. Public Health Warning: Reports highlight free nicotine pouches being handed out to children despite addiction concerns, raising alarms for regulators and schools. Tourism & Climate Memory: Moynaq in Uzbekistan’s Aral Sea region is drawing visitors to see the “ship graveyard” left by the sea’s retreat, turning an environmental disaster into a living lesson.

Paleontology Breakthrough: Unretouched triangular microlithic “arrowheads” from Uzbekistan’s Obi-Rakhmat site point to Homo sapiens living in Europe as early as 80,000 years ago, potentially rewriting the timeline of our first settlement. SCO Diplomacy & Tech: At the SCO summit in Bishkek, leaders—including Uzbekistan’s Shavkat Mirziyoyev—pushed a broader agenda linking security with development, trade and technology. Uzbekistan-US Outreach: Uzbekistan opened its first consulate in Seattle, aiming to expand trade, investment, education and technology ties. Mega Rail Engineering: Work continues on the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway, including the Kech-Alat bridge in Suzak (956.67m long, 96m tallest pier), and tunnel progress on the Kyrgyz section. AI in Education: NVIDIA’s AI system outscored all humans at IOI 2026 in Tashkent, underscoring both AI’s new strengths and its limits on independent verification. Fintech Policy: A look at Uzbekistan’s state-led fintech experiment highlights how the Central Bank builds platforms, incubates firms, and uses venture funding to shape the market. Science Culture: Uzbekistan also appears in regional science diplomacy, from water-focused ambassador forums to nomadic heritage research proposals.

Rail & Bridges: Construction is pushing ahead on the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway, with the No.2 North Koshtobe Tunnel broken through and work continuing on major structures, including a 956.67-meter bridge over the Kec-Alat River in Suzak, Kyrgyzstan. Uzbekistan-Serbia Business: President Shavkat Mirziyoyev will visit Serbia on Sept 7–8 for talks and a business forum aimed at expanding trade, engineering, pharmaceuticals, IT, and organized labor migration, with agreements expected to follow. Judicial Tech & Cooperation: India’s CJI Surya Kant urged BRICS to become a “living Nalanda University,” promoting healthy disagreement and faster, predictable justice; the BRICS Chief Justices’ Forum also focused on mediation/arbitration, cross-border enforcement, and using AI to improve court efficiency. Water Diplomacy: GWPO and partners launched a Global Ambassadors’ Forum for Water and Economic Diplomacy at World Water Week 2026, bringing together diplomats from nearly 30 countries including Uzbekistan. Nomadic Heritage Science: A Kyrgyz-hosted conference tied to the World Nomad Games proposed an international scientific platform, digitization of heritage, and research on traditional ecological knowledge. Tech Ecosystem Links: Cyberport and Astana Hub/IT Park deepened tech ties to support AI, fintech, smart city solutions, and market access across Central Asia and China. Energy & Sustainability: Uzbekistan–China partnership remarks highlighted China’s role in sustainable development and ongoing economic cooperation.

BRICS Judicial Tech: India’s Supreme Court opened the BRICS Chief Justices’ Forum in New Delhi, with CJI Surya Kant holding bilateral talks and pushing cross-border commercial dispute tools plus AI for faster, more efficient justice. Uzbek-India Defense Ties: Uzbekistan’s envoy to India says military cooperation is shifting from arms buying toward joint development and co-production, alongside joint exercises and anti-terror coordination. Critical Minerals Diplomacy: A U.S. House hearing spotlighted Kazakhstan’s role in critical minerals and supply chains, with Central Asia repeatedly framed as a strategic partner for resilient sourcing. SCO Connectivity & AI: Coverage of the SCO’s Bishkek summit highlights its move beyond security into tech, logistics, energy and digital cooperation—an agenda that keeps Uzbekistan in the regional connectivity spotlight. Uzbekistan–Serbia Trade Link: Uzbekistan and Serbia cooperation is deepening with new investment and economic frameworks, expanding sectors like mechanical engineering, pharma and chemicals. Sports & Culture: The World Nomad Games in Kyrgyzstan draw athletes from 104 countries, while Uzbekistan-linked cultural exchanges and media forums continue to spotlight heritage and knowledge.