Sushma Swaraj paying floral tribute at Lal Bahadur Shastri bust in Tashkent. (Courtesy: @MEAIndia)

TASHKENT: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj paid floral tributes at the bust of India's second prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri at his memorial in the Uzbek capital on Sunday.

Swaraj, who arrived in Tashkent on Sunday on her first visit to Uzbekistan , visited the Shastri memorial this morning.

"EAM Sushma Swaraj paying floral tribute to freedom fighter and 2nd Prime Minister of India Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri at his memorial in Tashkent," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted along with a photograph of the minister.

At the memorial, Swaraj also met with Yakov Shapiro who sculpted the bronze bust of Shastri.

Shastri had died in Tashkent in January 1966 after signing the Tashkent Declaration that formally ended a war between India and Pakistan.

A memorial was built here in his memory.

Earlier, Swaraj met with Speaker of Uzbekistan's Legislative Assembly Nurdinjon Ismoilov and discussed the role of Parliament in fostering closer people-to-people relationship.

"EAM Sushma Swaraj met the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Oliy Majlis (Parliament) of Uzbekistan Nurdinjon Ismoilov and representatives of political fractions in their Parliament. Discussed the role of Parliament in fostering closer people-to-people relationship," Kumar said.

Swaraj also addressed the Indian community here and inaugurated a mango festival.

"Promoting Indian mangoes in Uzbekistan! EAM Sushma Swaraj inaugurated a Mango Festival organised by the Government of Uttar Pradesh with participation of mango exporters in Tashkent. The exporters will visit fruit markets and meet fruit traders," Kumar tweeted.

Swaraj also interacted with Uzbek Indologists, Hindi teachers and students.

"EAM Sushma Swaraj: Love and appreciation for Indian culture is visible everywhere in Uzbekistan. Indian dance, music, films, cuisine, costume and now yoga are very popular," Kumar said.

"Country with a strong cultural affinity towards India! EAM Sushma Swaraj interacts with Uzbek Indologists, Hindi teachers and students, and ITEC and ICCR alumni in Tashkent. They play an important role in promoting academic exchanges and people to people contacts," he said.

Swaraj called on Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Abdulla Aripov and held discussion on bilateral relations yesterday.

India and Uzbekistan are strategic partners with strong historical and cultural linkages.

Swaraj reached here on the final leg of her three-nation tour after concluding her "result-oriented" visit to Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.

