new delhi sep 27 issues including tariff reduction to promote trade setting up of a business council and expansion of economic relation will be discussed during the upcoming visit of uzbekistan president shavkat mirziyoyev to india the first visit of the uzbek president will take place early next week as part of intensification of economic dialogue we plan to create a joint uzbekindian business council prepare the ground to mutually reduce customs tariffs implement largescale projects in free economic zones uzbekistan ambassador farhod arziev said arziev said uzbekistan is also interested in expanding cooperation in areas such as innovation increasing bilateral investments education culture and arts mirziyoyevs visit to india will elevate strategic and economic partnerships between the countries the ambassador told arzeiv said the current volume of bilateral trade and investment between the countries does not correspond to the existing potential expanding trade volumes requires undertaking complex measures we have started working on establishing preferential trade regime between the two countries which will boost the bilateral trade we are also planning to increase the supply of different types of agricultural products to indian market he said the bilateral trade between the countries stood at a meagre usd 235 million in 201718 it was usd 1555 million in 201617 arzeiv said uzbekistan has enormous potential to supply several products to the indian markets such as agri goods fertilisers nonferrous and rare metals textiles and petrochemicals we plan to triple our trade volumes in the coming years he said over 300 business leaders from sectors including automobile railway energy oil and gas pharmaceuticals leather and textile are expected to attend the business forum meet on increasing cooperation to promote innovation the ambassador said they are planning to launch uzbekistanindia innovation forum and indian technology parks in uzbekistan further he said the uzbek president will also announce the partnership between samarkand and agra to promote tourism industry daily flights from delhi and amritsar to tashkent connect both countries and by the end of october we are launching mumbaitashkent air route which will operate three times a week i believe this will further increase tourism between india and uzbekistan and further boost business opportunities he added rr anu anu