India took another step towards economic and strategic penetration in Central Asia with the visit to New Delhi last week of Uzbekistan's President Islom Karimov, who signed an agreement that could lead to India's ONGC Videsh Ltd (OVL) prospecting for oil and gas inside its neighbor's territory in cooperation with Uzbekneftegaz.

In meetings with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, both sides agreed to raise the level of bilateral relations to a ''long-term strategic partnership''. The heads of state signed 34 accords across a wide range of issues that, alongside the hydrocarbon sector, included cooperation in pharmaceuticals and information technology.

Under their provisional agreement, OVL, the overseas arm of India's state-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation, will form working groups with Uzbekneftegaz in a view towards joint activities in third countries, allowing OVL to continue to increase access to Central Asia's vast energy resources.

The Karakalpakistan region of Uzbekistan holds up to 70 billion cubic meters of unexplored natural gas by some estimates. In return for the possibility of Indian assistance there, Uzbekistan is holding out the offer of shale gas technology to India for prospecting in such regions as Assam, Gujarat, and Rajasthan.