Uzbekistan zero rates VAT at Termez trade hub to boost exports

The decision was unveiled during a meeting on the comprehensive development of Surkhandarya region, where the president reviewed the performance of the Termez International Trade Center and outlined new expansion plans.

According to the president, more than 800,000 Afghan citizens visited the trade center in 2025, while exports through the complex reached $320m.

Entrepreneurs and investors have proposed expanding the activities of the center and launching large-scale production facilities on its territory. To accommodate these projects, the area of the complex will be expanded to 1,000 hectares.

Officials have been tasked with ensuring the creation of 10,000 new jobs within the framework of the trade center. Export volumes are expected to rise to $600m this year and to $1bn by 2027.

The launch of new projects will increase the number of entrepreneurs and buyers operating at the site, Mirziyoyev said.

To maintain public order within the complex, a specialized department of internal affairs and a prosecutor’s office will be established on site.

Under the new rules, transactions involving goods and services conducted within the Termez International Trade Center will be treated as export operations, with value added tax reduced to zero.

In October 2025, the Center for Economic Research and Reforms published the results of a survey of visitors and traders at the Airitom free trade zone.

According to the report, buyers most frequently complained about limited operating hours, lengthy customs and border procedures, and high hotel prices.