By Mokhi Sultanova in Tashkent
Uzbekistan has entered into negotiations with Russia over a comprehensive rearmament programme, TASS has reported.
'On the agenda is the conclusion of an agreement on the rearmament programme. [..I]t will pertain to the equipment of the air force, air defence and ground forces. A fairly wide range—we will discuss, and further develop, help our colleagues,' Dmitry Shugaev, head of Russia's Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSMTC), was cited as saying.
Word of the negotiations spread after Russian President Vladimir Putin's visited Uzbekistan between May 26-28.
A joint statement issued following the visit emphasised the commitment of both nations to deepening military collaboration, extending to law enforcement agencies and emergency response institutions.
The Ministry of Defence of Uzbekistan highlighted Russia's role as post-Soviet Uzbekistan’s primary supplier of weapons and military equipment.
Since 2016, Uzbekistan has embarked on a prioritised overhaul of its military.
Organisational structures, deployment protocols, state-of-the-art weaponry and gear and enhancing operational readiness, combat efficacy and professional proficiency have all been on the agenda.
In the 2024 PowerIndex, which evaluates the world's most armies, Uzbekistan took the 65th spot. This positions Uzbekistan as second-ranked among the Central Asian countries, with Kazakhstan leading in 58th place.
According to the PowerIndex assessment, Uzbekistan's defence budget stands at $796.8mn. The nation's military personnel count is 68,000, with 48,000 servicemen actively serving. The army has 28 brigades, 340 T-62, T-64 and T-72 tanks, and 530 armoured vehicles.
