Uzbekistan plans to add India to visa-free list, treble number of Indian visitors by 2030
In 2024, 72,300 Indian nationals visited Uzbekistan
New Delhi: India has emerged as a priority market for Uzbekistan, and the country is aiming to eliminate the visa requirement for India, Uzbekistan’s Tourism Minister Umid R. Shadiev has said.
Addressing the media at the South Asia Travel and Tourism Exchange in New Delhi Wednesday, he added, “Our target is to treble the number of Indian visitors to Uzbekistan by 2030. Already, Indian passport holders are eligible for an e-visa. In the near future, I would like to see India added to the list of countries that can visit Uzbekistan visa-free.”
The ‘Uzbekistan-2030,’ a comprehensive national development blueprint introduced by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in April 2023, is central to this vision. The strategy focuses on transforming the nation into an upper-middle-income economy by 2030, with a focus on economic liberalisation, foreign investment, and the development of key sectors such as tourism.
“Our target is to attract 15 million international arrivals per year by 2030,” Shadiev said.
India-Uzbekistan tourism surges
Since President Mirziyoyev took office in 2017, international tourist arrivals have surged from 2.7 million to a record 10 million last year, with a 24 percent increase in international growth in just the past year alone, Shadiev noted.
In 2024, 72,300 Indian nationals visited Uzbekistan. The ease of access, along with the cultural affinity between the two nations, offers an ideal foundation for expanding tourism flows, he said.
While there are direct flights between Tashkent and Delhi, the country aims to increase flight frequencies and extend routes to other Indian and Uzbek cities, including Samarkand and Bukhara, through strategic airline partnerships.
In addition to expanding air connectivity, the Uzbekistan government’s tourism committee has been working on developing deeper business partnerships in India, demonstrated by the presence of prominent Uzbek cultural ambassador, fashion designer Ritu Beri, and participation in events such as the Surajkund Mela.
Future tourism strategies & initiatives
The Uzbekistan tourism committee is working actively with the Indian trade sector, urging travel agents, airlines, and investors to explore new opportunities through business forums such as the Tashkent International Tourism Fair. The country is also looking to increase engagement with consumers by organising press trips and showcasing lesser-known, off-the-beaten-path destinations.
Indian nationals are eligible for Uzbekistan’s e-visa system, which is expected to be further streamlined. The government also aims to add India to the list of countries eligible for visa-free entry, an initiative under discussion with the Ministry of External Affairs.
“Visiting Delhi as an Uzbek is like looking at oneself in the mirror: so much is familiar,” Shadiev said.
“When I see your grand monuments like Humayun’s Tomb, I feel quite at home, as there was such continuity in the architectural style. India has huge potential as a source market for Uzbekistan. It is not simply a numbers game—it is cultural relevance and shared values.”
