Uzbekistan has made a notable leap in the 2026 Index of Economic Freedom, moving up to 86th place worldwide.

The country scored 60.3 points, improving by 2.3 points from last year and surpassing the global average of 59.9. For the first time, Uzbekistan entered the “moderately free” category, The Caspian Post reports via Uzbek media.

The strongest areas for Uzbekistan were economic openness, with a Trade Freedom index of 80.6 and Investment Freedom at 70.0, well above global averages. These improvements reflect a steady commitment to liberalizing trade and attracting foreign investment.

Key economic indicators also show significant growth. Uzbekistan’s foreign trade turnover rose from $63.5 billion in 2023 to $81.2 billion in 2025, while exports jumped from $24.9 billion to $33.8 billion. Foreign investments and capital loans more than doubled, reaching 422.1 trillion soms.

Early 2026 data indicate continued positive momentum: in January-February, Uzbekistan’s foreign trade turnover totaled $11.6 billion, a 7.1% increase compared to the same period last year.