According to a report by the International Energy Agency (IEA), by the end of 2025 gas supplies from Russia to Uzbekistan increased sharply, up 30%. Exports transited Kazakhstan via the “Central Asia–Center” pipeline system, with total volumes exceeding 7 billion cubic meters. This was reported by podrobno.uz reports .
The report explains the figure by Tashkent’s policy aimed at diversifying energy sources amid domestic shortages. For comparison, in 2024 supply growth was only 5%, but recent harsh cold seasons and increased industrial activity required a multiple expansion of imports.
The trend is unfolding against the backdrop of an overall decline in gas production across Eurasia. While Turkmenistan raised output to 80 billion cubic meters and Kazakhstan recorded an additional 10% increase, Uzbekistan’s sector came under serious pressure: in the first 11 months of 2025, production fell by 4.5% (about 2 billion cubic meters). The IEA links this to natural field depletion and worsening performance of aging wells.
For Russia, increasing volumes directed to Central Asia has become an important compensation mechanism. After transit via Ukraine stopped on January 1, 2025, Russia’s pipeline gas exports to the European Union plunged by 45%. In this environment, the “pivot to the East” intensified: deliveries to China via the Power of Siberia rose 25% to 39 billion cubic meters, while the Uzbekistan route is cited as the second-largest growth direction.
The IEA notes that despite a 3% drop in gas production in Russia—amid a warm early-2025 winter and sanctions pressure on LNG plants—Tashkent remains a priority partner. Russian gas is effectively helping to close the gap that emerged after Central Asia’s exports to China fell by 5% in 2025.
IEA forecasts assess the near-term outlook as relatively positive: regional gas production is expected to rise by nearly 3% in 2026, though it will still remain 10% below the pre-crisis 2021 level. Most of the growth is said to be driven by a recovery in domestic demand in Russia and continued use of existing transit capacity.
For Uzbekistan, 2026 may be a period of adjustment to its role as a major consumer and transit system. Imports above 7 billion cubic meters are no longer just a winter “emergency fix” but are becoming a stable economic reality. Therefore, upgrading infrastructure—particularly the “Central Asia–Center” system—is highlighted as a key task to ensure reliable transmission amid rising industrial and household demand.
It is also recalled that by the end of 2025 Uzbekistan exported natural gas to China worth $773 million. Deputy Prime Minister Jamshid Khojayev recently criticized the Ministry of Energy, saying 33 modern plants have been idle since autumn 2025 due to gas shortages. It was reported that problems with local packaging supplies caused exporters to lose tax benefits and forced them to revert to using old-style boxes.
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