Planning a Uzbekistan trip? Indians now get 30 days visa-free

Tashkent: Uzbekistan has announced a 30-day visa-free regime for Indian citizens, with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev saying the decision will strengthen people-to-people ties while boosting tourism and business exchanges between the two countries.

The announcement was made during delegation-level talks between Mirziyoyev and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Tashkent on Sunday. Modi is on a two-day State visit to Uzbekistan.

The Uzbek President described India as a "reliable strategic partner" and highlighted the expansion of economic and connectivity links between the two nations.

"India is our reliable strategic partner. Last year, our bilateral trade exceeded USD 1 billion for the first time. In recent years, the number of joint ventures has increased sevenfold. There are now 14 direct flights between our countries every week," Mirziyoyev said.

Mirziyoyev also highlighted the contribution of cultural institutions such as the Lal Bahadur Shastri Centre for Indian Culture and the Mahatma Gandhi Centre for Indian Studies to strengthening humanitarian and cultural ties.

He noted the growing popularity of Yoga in Uzbekistan, pointing out that the country has had a dedicated Yoga Federation since 2018.

A nationwide Yoga Festival was also organised across Uzbekistan in June this year, he said.

"The introduction of a 30-day visa-free regime for Indian citizens will make a significant contribution to the development of people-to-people contacts, tourism, and business exchanges," Mirziyoyev added.

The new visa arrangement comes as Modi's visit focuses on deepening bilateral relations and expanding cooperation across various sectors.

India and Uzbekistan established diplomatic relations on March 18, 1992, after a protocol formalising ties was signed in Tashkent. India was among the first countries to recognise Uzbekistan's sovereignty after its independence.

The relationship was upgraded to a Strategic Partnership in 2011 and is supported by several institutional mechanisms that facilitate regular political and official engagement.

Modi's August 29-30 visit is his first trip to Uzbekistan since 2015. He had also travelled to the country in 2016 and 2022 to attend Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summits.

The bilateral relationship has seen several high-level exchanges, including Mirziyoyev's State Visit to India in 2018 and his participation in the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit in 2019.

After concluding his Uzbekistan visit, Modi is scheduled to travel to Bishkek at the invitation of Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov to attend the 26th SCO Summit, which marks 25 years of the organisation.

The visa-free facility is expected to make travel between India and Uzbekistan easier and support greater tourism, commercial activity and people-to-people exchanges.