Uzbekistan opens 30-day visa-free travel to Indian citizens

Travelling from India to the ancient Silk Road cities just got significantly easier. Uzbekistan has introduced a 30-day visa-free regime for Indian citizens, announced by Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to Tashkent on 29–30 August 2026, as reported by The Logical Indian and India News Network.

Previously, Indian travellers needed to apply for an e-visa before their trip — a process that added fees and waiting time. Under the new arrangement, citizens of India can arrive in Uzbekistan and stay for up to 30 days without any prior visa application, making spontaneous and short-notice travel far more practical.

The announcement came alongside a broader tourism cooperation programme between the two governments covering 2026 to 2028, which foresees expanded tourist exchanges, joint travel routes, cultural weeks, and film festivals. Uzbekistan and India are already linked by 14 direct flights per week, meaning the new visa-free access translates quickly into real bookings for travellers keen to experience Samarkand, Bukhara, Tashkent, and Khiva.

For Indian travellers considering Uzbekistan, the paperwork barrier is now gone — the Silk Road, from the Registan to the minarets of Khiva, has never been more accessible from the subcontinent.