'Chess diplomacy': AICF chief on PM Modi gifting Sindarov’s WC sheet to Uzbek prez

Prime Minister Narendra Modi used chess as a unique diplomatic gesture during his visit to Uzbekistan, gifting President Shavkat Mirziyoyev the original handwritten scoresheet from Uzbek Grandmaster Javokhir Sindarov’s 2025 FIDE World Cup final victory in Goa.The scoresheet was presented in a leatherette cover along with a photograph of Sindarov holding the World Cup trophy with the Uzbek flag around his shoulders.Sindarov’s World Cup victory earned him a place in the Candidates tournament, which he later won to set up a World Championship showdown with India’s D Gukesh in Geneva later this year.Calling the gesture an example of “Chess diplomacy”, All India Chess Federation (AICF) chief Nitin Narang highlighted how a simple record of moves had become part of a much bigger India-Uzbekistan story.“A scoresheet records the moves on a chessboard. Sometimes, it becomes part of a much bigger story.