Narendra Modi gifted the original handwritten scoresheet of Javokhir Sindarov from the 2025 FIDE World Cup final as a unique memento to Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. (Express Photo and AP)Move over Ping Pong diplomacy, here comes Chess Diplomacy! During Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s diplomatic visit to Uzbekistan, chess played a little role in strengthening ties after Modi gifted the original handwritten scoresheet of Javokhir Sindarov from the 2025 FIDE World Cup final as a unique memento to Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. The scoresheet was accompanied in a leatherette cover with a photograph of Sindarov during the World Cup presentation ceremony, the Uzbek flag draped around his shoulders.Sindarov had won the World Cup in Goa in November last year, which earned him a spot in the Candidates tournament, which he also went on to win to secure a shot at the World Championship crown against India’s D Gukesh. But before Gukesh and Sindarov go to battle over the chess board at Geneva at the end of this year, the sport has been used as an instrument of diplomacy.“A scoresheet records the moves on a chessboard. Sometimes, it becomes part of a much bigger story. From Sindarov’s historic World Cup triumph in Goa to becoming a gift from Hon’ble PM Shri Narendra Modi to the President of Uzbekistan… chess has a wonderful way of connecting people and nations. Chess diplomacy, quite literally,” President of the All India Chess Federation (AICF) Nitin Narang wrote on X.Gift given by PM Modi to President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev | Original Handwritten Scoresheet of Mr. Javokhir Sindarov: The original handwritten scoresheet of Grandmaster Javokhir Sindarov from the 2025 FIDE World Cup final in Goa is a unique memento of his historic… pic.twitter.com/E1IKaqRUsp— ANI (@ANI) September 1, 2026Uzbekistan and India have a budding rivalry in chess with both nations currently celebrating their golden generation of grandmasters. While India have the likes of Gukesh, Praggnanandhaa, Arjun Erigaisi, Vaishali and Divya Deshmukh leading the charge, Uzbekistan have Sindarov and Nodirbek Abdusattorov, who have shown they are capable of challenging for the top honours.Uzbekistan’s Samarkand will host the 46th Chess Olympiad from September 15 to 27 where both the Indian teams will be defending their gold medals and the team that poses the biggest threat the India in the open section are Uzbekistan, who are still smarting from losing their gold from 2022 (won in Chennai) to India in 2024.Also Read | Javokhir Sindarov interview: ‘Without Praggnanandhaa, I’d have won at least few more tournaments’Modi was in Tashkent for a two-day State visit to strengthen bilateral ties. During the visit, India and Uzbekistan agreed to establish a long-term uranium supply arrangement, which will help keep India’s nuclear power plans on track in the future.Among other gifts Modi gave Mirziyoyev were a sandalwood Shata Tantri Veena, popularly known as the Santoor, and two boxes of premium Kangra tea (Kangra First Flush Black Tea and Kangra Green Tea) in a wooden carved case from the Kangra Valley in Himachal Pradesh.Modi also had gifts for Mirziyoyev’s wife and his daughter.Story continues below this adMeanwhile, Mirziyoyev conferred Uzbekistan’s highest state honour, the Order of Oliy Darajali Do’stlik, on the Indian Prime Minister.