<span style="color: #222222;">India and Uzbekistan have decided to deepen strategic partnership in various areas, including security, counter-terrorism, trade and investment, science and technology and nuclear energy.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Prime Minister Narendra Modi and visiting Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev held bilateral talks in New Delhi today. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Speaking at a joint press conference with Mr. Mirziyoyev, Mr Modi assured all possible assistance to Uzbekistan in ensuring peace and stability in the region. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The Prime Minister said, prosperous and stable Afghanistan is in the interest of the entire region.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">A joint statement issued after talks between Mr Modi and Mr. Mirziyoyev,  the two countries have decided to start negotiations on a preferential trade agreement. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Both sides agreed to expand cooperation and the target for bilateral trade is one billion dollars by 2020. New Delhi has decided to extend a 200-million dollars line of credit to Tashkent for social infrastructure projects.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Both the countries favoured the introduction of direct flights between Tashkent and Mumbai and agreed to explore various options to enhance surface connectivity between them.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Earlier, India and Uzbekistan signed 17 MoUs in various fields, including agriculture, tourism, combating illicit trafficking, health and medical science and pharmaceuticals.</span>