CATCH ME UP
Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented traditional Indian artefacts to leaders of Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan.
The gifts included a Mahabharata translation, a Ladakhi Tsug-dul blanket and Dokra artwork for Kyrgyz leaders.
Reported items for Uzbek leaders included marble inlay plates, Kangra tea, a sandalwood Santoor, a Banarasi silk stole and a handwritten scoresheet.
The reporting frames the exchanges as a display of shared heritage and cultural diplomacy.
Why it mattersThe gift exchange signals soft-power diplomacy that can deepen regional ties and shape India’s outreach in Central Asia.