Centrum Air announces South India expansion plans as Delhi-Tashkent route prepares for takeoff in Oct

Operating twice weekly on Tuesdays and Fridays with modern A320neo aircraft, the service starting from October 3^rd marks just the beginning of the airline's India strategy. At the launch event held at The Grand in New Delhi, officials revealed plans for Hyderabad and Bengaluru routes by 2026, potential codeshare agreements with airlines, and upcoming European connections. With Indian student travel to Uzbekistan expected to triple to 40,000 in coming years and tourism already quadrupling to 82,000 visitors annually, Centrum Air and its GSA partner Aeroprime Group are going all out to capitalise on growing travel demand and bilateral relations. Event report below: 

Uzbekistan’s leading and fastest growing private airline, Centrum Air, has marked its official entry into India with the launch of direct flights between Delhi and Tashkent. The service, which will begin operating from October 3, 2025, will run twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Fridays, using the modern A320neo aircraft (all-economy, with meal service). The airline has also announced ambitious plans to expand into South Indian cities with direct services from Hyderabad and Bengaluru in 2026.

The launch event, held at The Grand, New Delhi, was attended by officials from Centrum Air, Aeroprime Group (airline’s official GSA), Uzbekistan’s diplomatic representatives, and members of the Indian travel trade. 

Speaking to T3 on the sidelines of the Delhi event, Adil Mirza Khalmirzaev, GSA Department Head, Business Development Director, Centrum Air, highlighted the growing demand for connectivity between India and Uzbekistan. When asked, Khalmirzaev shared that the plans are being actioned to launch the Hyderabad–Tashkent and Bengaluru–Tashkent flights from Summer 2026. “Mumbai is not in plans right now because of excessive competition, but based on demand, we do look forward to expansion in near future.”

He shared that besides the current connections offered to Central Asia, CIS, Russia, Turkey, Middle East, new European destinations including Frankfurt (Dec 2025) and Copenhagen & Milan (2026) will be included to the portfolio. 

He also revealed that negotiations are underway for codeshares with IndiGo & other carriers and eventually the aim is “to increase Delhi flights to daily operations in next few months.”

Delhi-Tashkent route just the beginning

Welcoming the initiative, Ambassador of Uzbekistan to India, Sardor Rustambaev, highlighted the fast-growing tourism exchanges between the two countries.

“India and Uzbekistan share a bond that runs in our veins. With flight time just over two hours, air connectivity has already boosted tourism fourfold—from 20,000 visitors to 82,000 in just one year. With Centrum’s entry, we expect even stronger results this year,” the Ambassador noted.

Speaking at the event with T3, Abhishek Goyal, CEO & Executive Director, Aeroprime Group, Centrum Air’s India GSA, added that the Delhi service is only the beginning for the airline. 

“Along with the Delhi–Tashkent route, we have very ambitious plans to expand Centrum Air’s presence in the Indian market. Plans to further launch Hyderabad and Bengaluru flights to Tashkent, connecting further into Central Asia and Europe, will unlock multiple opportunities for Indian travellers, especially with upcoming new routes,” Goyal said.

He emphasised that Aeroprime will ensure strong distribution and marketing in India: “As the fastest-growing GSA in India, our role is to hand-hold airlines in navigating regulatory requirements, working with travel agents, and promoting destinations. We firmly believe that if the destination is promoted, the airline will automatically succeed. For Uzbekistan, we aim to unlock its potential as a leisure and MICE hotspot.” 

Vineet Gupta, Vice President, Business Development & Marketing, Aeroprime Group, also described the launch of Delhi flights as a milestone. “Centrum Air’s new service expands connectivity between our nations, which we call ‘brothers together’. With twice-weekly operations and future expansion, Centrum Air will offer quality service with in-flight meals and an all-economy cabin. Aeroprime is committed to driving the marketing and promotion of this venture,” he said. 

Students driving growth for routes

Centurm Air’s Khalmirzaev highlighted that around 12,000 Indian students are studying in Uzbekistan for medical purposes. “Within a few years, this number is expected to triple to nearly 35,000–40,000 students, representing a huge travel volume and opportunity.”

He also underscored Uzbekistan’s appeal as a leisure and MICE destination: “Uzbekistan is one of the safest tourism destinations in the world, and Indian travellers—especially women and groups—will find it easy and welcoming. From Samarkand, Bukhara, and Khiva to our world-class gastronomy and seamless e-visa process, Uzbekistan has everything to appeal to the Indian market.”

Going forward, the airline also expresses hopes to introduce short transit tours in Tashkent via Centrum Holidays, allowing Indian travellers to explore city before onward journey. Plans are ahead to also do joint marketing with the Indian partners, FAM trips for agents & media and strong promotion of Uzbekistan’s tourism offerings. 

DMC support for Indian Market

Daniil Chasovnikov, representing Centrum Holidays, the in-house DMC arm of Centrum Holding, added that packages will be tailored for Indian travellers looking at the picked-up interest. 

“Centrum Holidays already works with over 1,400 agencies in Uzbekistan. For India, we will design group, MICE, and even wedding tourism packages. We can also create short transit tours for travellers connecting via Tashkent. Uzbekistan offers rich history, cuisine, and culture—something Indian tourists are increasingly looking for,” he said.

He further stressed that Uzbekistan is still relatively new for Indian tourists, compared to the US & Europe but is gaining traction. Post pandemic, the demand from India for Uzbek has been growing and the destination aims to capture that interest. Indian travellers, he said, are attracted by Uzbekistan’s deep history, rich traditions, heritage sites and cuisine. 

Looking ahead, Centrum Holidays is keen to expand partnerships across PAN India, given country’s massive population and rising outbound market, he confirmed.