BRUSSELS, September 9. /Dunyo IA/.  Belgian specialized publication “Travel Tomorrow” has published an article highlighting the expansion of Uzbekistan–India cooperation in the tourism sector, reports Dunyo IA correspondent.

Publication reports that Uzbekistan and India signed a Tourism Cooperation Programme for 2026–2028 following talks between President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Tashkent. A key decision was the introduction of a 30-day visa-free regime for Indian citizens. The two countries currently operate 14 direct flights per week, while an agreement between “NPCI International Payments Limited” and Uzbekistan’s National Interbank Processing Centre will enable Indian tourists to use the UPI payment system.

Publication cites statistics from Uzbekistan’s Tourism Committee, according to which 6.5 million foreign tourists visited the country in the first half of 2026, representing a 24.9 percent increase, including 26,450 Indian citizens. It emphasizes that joint cultural weeks, film festivals and new tourist routes will help significantly increase tourist arrivals from India.

Publication notes that the agreement is part of efforts to elevate bilateral relations to the level of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, with the aim of increasing bilateral trade turnover to $5 billion by 2030. Last year, bilateral trade grew by 33 percent to reach $1.3 billion.

The initiative is in line with Uzbekistan’s strategy to attract 20 million international visitors by 2030, increase the tourism sector’s contribution to GDP from 3.5 percent to 7 percent, and raise tourism services exports to $6 billion.

 Photo from the archive of the Press Service of the President of Uzbekistan