Uzbekistan finalizes WTO accession negotiations with India

Azizbek Urunov, the Special Representative of the President of Uzbekistan on WTO Affairs, announced the milestone on LinkedIn.

According to Urunov, the two nations have officially signed the protocol to finalize the negotiations, cementing market access agreements that were initially reached back in 2024. He noted that aligning the technical details and refining the specific text of the protocol required a concerted effort from both sides. Despite the complexities, India maintained a highly constructive approach throughout the process.

Urunov expressed his gratitude to New Delhi for its continued support of Uzbekistan’s integration into the global trading system. He specifically credited the Ambassador of Uzbekistan to India, Sardor Rustambaev, and the Ambassador of India to Uzbekistan, Smita Pant, for their immense efforts in facilitating the successful signing of the document.

The Uzbek delegation will soon submit an original copy of the signed protocol to the WTO Secretariat in Geneva to officially incorporate it into the country's formal accession documentation.

Earlier this year, Urunov outlined the broader implications of this diplomatic push. In a detailed interview, he discussed the underlying reasons driving Uzbekistan's push for membership, the current status of the multi-stage accession process, and what the local economy and citizens should expect once the country secures its place in the organization.