M360 Eurasia Heads to Tashkent

The Rise of Tashkent: How M360 Eurasia 2025 Signals Uzbekistan’s Tech Ambitions
The global tech scene is shifting eastward, and Uzbekistan is elbowing its way into the spotlight. The GSMA’s decision to host M360 Eurasia 2025 in Tashkent isn’t just a logistical tweak—it’s a neon sign announcing the country’s arrival as a regional IT heavyweight. Scheduled for May 21–22, 2025, the event will convene policymakers, tech titans, and investors to dissect Eurasia’s digital future, from 5G rollouts to AI governance. But why Tashkent? The answer lies in Uzbekistan’s aggressive “Digital Uzbekistan 2030” blueprint, its geographic sweet spot bridging Europe and Asia, and a flurry of partnerships with players like VEON and the Ministry of Digital Technologies. This isn’t just another conference; it’s a tipping point for Central Asia’s tech ecosystem.
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Uzbekistan’s Digital Metamorphosis: From Silk Road to Silicon Valley

Uzbekistan’s tech ambitions are no longer whispers—they’re headlines. The “Digital Uzbekistan 2030” strategy is the country’s moonshot, aiming to catapult its digital economy into the global arena. Think fiber-optic highways, startup incubators, and tax breaks for tech firms. The government claims over 300 IT parks are already operational, churning out everything from fintech solutions to AI-driven agriculture tools.
Tashkent’s selection as the M360 host underscores this momentum. The city isn’t just a pretty backdrop; it’s a strategic pick. Uzbekistan sits at the crossroads of China’s Belt and Road Initiative and Europe’s digital single market, making it a natural hub for cross-continental tech collaboration. Add to that a young, tech-savvy population (60% under 30), and you’ve got the recipe for a digital revolution.
But let’s not sugarcoat it: challenges remain. Internet penetration hovers around 75%, and rural areas still lag in connectivity. M360 Eurasia 2025 will need to address these gaps head-on—because what’s the point of discussing AI if half the country can’t stream a YouTube tutorial?
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The M360 Playbook: 5G, Talent Wars, and Tax Headaches

So, what’s actually on the agenda? The GSMA’s event is packing a punch with three core themes:

Eurasia’s 5G rollout is a patchwork quilt, with some nations sprinting ahead (hello, Kazakhstan) and others stuck in 3G nostalgia. M360 will spotlight how Uzbekistan—and its neighbors—can leapfrog into the 5G era. Expect heated debates on spectrum allocation and whether AI should be regulated like nuclear energy (spoiler: some policymakers think so).

Uzbekistan’s IT graduates are in high demand—but so far, Russia and Turkey are the biggest beneficiaries. The country loses an estimated 30% of its tech talent to overseas gigs. M360 sessions will explore how to keep skills local, from revamping education (read: fewer Soviet-era textbooks) to incentivizing startups.

Mobile operators in Eurasia face a labyrinth of tariffs and digital taxes. A GSMA report warns that overregulation could slash $15B from regional GDP by 2025. Cue the panel on “taxation as innovation’s silent killer,” featuring grumbling CEOs and sympathetic bureaucrats.
Keynote speaker Vivek Badrinath, the GSMA’s new Director General, will likely frame these issues as a make-or-break moment. His predecessor, Mats Granryd, already dubbed Tashkent the “digital bridge” between continents—now it’s time to see if that bridge can hold the weight of Eurasia’s tech dreams.
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Beyond Buzzwords: Why This Event Actually Matters

Let’s be real: most tech conferences are just glorified networking happy hours. But M360 Eurasia 2025 has skin in the game. For Uzbekistan, it’s a chance to pitch itself as the next Dubai—a neutral ground where rivals (say, India and China) can hash out deals over plov and green tea. For attendees, it’s about unlocking a market of 400 million people hungry for everything from e-commerce to telemedicine.
The GSMA’s bet on Tashkent also signals a broader trend: secondary cities are stealing the spotlight. Forget London or Singapore; the action’s in places like Tbilisi, Astana, and now Tashkent, where costs are lower and governments are desperate to deal.
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The Bottom Line

M360 Eurasia 2025 isn’t just another date on the tech conference calendar. It’s a litmus test for Uzbekistan’s digital ambitions and a rare opportunity to align Eurasia’s fragmented tech policies. Success could mean accelerated 5G adoption, a tighter talent pipeline, and maybe—just maybe—a Silicon Valley-esque boom in Central Asia.
But if the event devolves into vague pledges and PowerPoint fatigue? Well, at least the shashlik will be good. One thing’s certain: all eyes are on Tashkent. The question is whether the city can deliver more than just a killer hashtag (#M360Tashkent, anyone?).
*—The Spending Sleuth, signing off from the (virtual) frontlines of digital hype.*