Uzbekistan has delivered good news for Indian travellers during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the country, announcing 30-day visa-free travel for Indian citizens. Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev said the new policy would further boost tourism, business, and people-to-people ties between the two nations. The announcement came during talks between representatives of both countries in Tashkent, as part of Modi’s two-day visit to Uzbekistan.
Mirziyoyev described India as a trusted strategic partner, noting that relations between the two countries have been growing rapidly. He said bilateral trade between India and Uzbekistan crossed $1 billion for the first time last year, and that the number of joint ventures operating between the two nations has grown sevenfold in recent years. He added that 14 direct flights currently operate between India and Uzbekistan every week. The Uzbek President also highlighted the role played by institutions such as the Lal Bahadur Shastri Centre for Indian Culture and the Mahatma Gandhi Centre for Indian Studies in strengthening cultural ties between the two countries.
Mirziyoyev said the 30-day visa-free facility for Indian nationals would further strengthen people-to-people ties between the two countries, while also boosting tourism and business activity. Diplomatic relations between India and Uzbekistan were established on March 18, 1992, with the agreement formalising ties signed in Tashkent. India was also among the first countries to recognise Uzbekistan’s sovereignty following its independence.
In 2011, the relationship between the two countries was elevated to the level of a “Strategic Partnership,” since which regular talks and meetings have taken place at both the political and official levels. With the new 30-day visa-free facility now available to Indian nationals, travel to Uzbekistan is set to become significantly easier, a move expected to particularly benefit tourists and business travellers.