India, Sept. 18 -- When Babur left the Fergana Valley for India in the early sixteenth century, he could hardly have imagined the empire he founded would leave so deep a mark on India's history, culture and architecture. Five centuries later, his birthplace in present-day Uzbekistan remains a reminder that ties between our two countries run deeper than diplomacy or trade, rooted instead in a shared cultural story.

That story is entering a new chapter. Last weekend, the state visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Tashkent saw India and Uzbekistan elevate ties from a Strategic Partnership to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

A broad set of agreements included a three-year programme of reciprocal cultural weeks, joint film festival...