Uzbekistan opens a new door for Indian outbound travel with 30-day visa-free entry

India’s outbound market received an important boost on 30 August as Uzbekistan announced a 30-day visa-free regime for Indian citizens during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev said the move should strengthen people-to-people contact as well as tourism and business exchanges. The timing is significant for Indian tour operators: Uzbekistan has been positioning itself as an accessible Central Asian destination, and eliminating the visa requirement removes one of the friction points in selling the destination.

B2B angle: Expect tour operators, destination management companies and airlines to revisit Uzbekistan packages, particularly for cultural, luxury, Silk Road and short-break itineraries.

Why it matters: Visa liberalisation tends to be most powerful when paired with air capacity and local trade distribution. Uzbekistan now has a stronger proposition for India’s fast-growing outbound segment.