Hyderabad-Tashkent direct flights to begin September 28
Centrum Air will launch twice-weekly Hyderabad-Tashkent flights from September 28, boosting tourism, pharma trade, and education links.
Uzbekistan's Ambassador to India, Sardor Mirzayusupovich Rustambaev, has described the upcoming direct flight between Hyderabad and Tashkent as an 'air bridge' connecting Uzbekistan with south India. The service, operated by private carrier Centrum Air, is scheduled to commence on September 28.
The airline will run two flights per week in each direction. Departures from Hyderabad are set for Mondays and Thursdays, with return services from Tashkent operating on Tuesdays and Fridays.
Speaking at the launch announcement, Ambassador Rustambaev said the route is more than a commercial air service. He noted it would strengthen bilateral ties in tourism, business, healthcare, education, and technology, building on the recent momentum in India-Uzbekistan relations following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit. He added that uninterrupted connectivity would support deeper cooperation in high technology, pharmaceuticals, digitalisation, renewable energy, and critical minerals.
Centrum Air views Hyderabad as a potential gateway for travellers from southern and western India, including Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Kerala. Adil Mirza, head of the Agents Division at Centrum Air, said the airline is encouraging travel agencies in these regions to route passengers through Hyderabad. Tashkent is also being positioned as a transit hub, with onward connections to destinations such as Almaty, Bishkek, Baku, Tbilisi, and Frankfurt.
The new link is expected to benefit Hyderabad's pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors significantly. Ambassador Rustambaev highlighted the city's status as a major pharma, medical, and technology hub, noting that Uzbek citizens seeking advanced medical treatment in Hyderabad would find travel more convenient. Mirza added that Indian medical products account for roughly half of Uzbekistan's pharmaceutical market, with an estimated 30-40 per cent of that supply originating from Hyderabad. The airline is also exploring cargo opportunities tied to this ecosystem.
On the technology front, Uzbekistan is keen to attract Indian IT companies, start-ups, and academic institutions as part of its digital transformation drive. Education is another area expected to generate passenger traffic, with growing interest among Indian students in pursuing medicine and engineering degrees in Uzbekistan.