Uzbekistan is expected to significantly increase its imports of Russian natural gas in 2026, with pipeline deliveries projected to rise by nearly 50%, according to a new report by the International Energy Agency (IEA).

The IEA forecasts that Russian gas exports to Uzbekistan, transported via Kazakhstan through the Central Asia-Center pipeline system, will increase from 7 billion cubic meters (bcm) in 2025 to more than 10 bcm in 2026, The Caspian Post reports via the International Energy Agency (IEA).

The report comes as Uzbekistan continues to rely more heavily on imported gas while domestic production declines.

Official statistics show that although the total value of gas imports from Russia and Turkmenistan fell by 1.2% to $1.65 billion in 2025, the physical volume of Russian gas imports rose by nearly 15%, increasing from 5.64 bcm to 6.48 bcm.

During the first five months of 2026, imports of natural gas from Russia and Turkmenistan surged by 84.1% year-on-year to $724.7 million. Of that amount, $68.2 million was spent on propane imports, which more than tripled compared with the same period a year earlier.

Meanwhile, Uzbekistan's domestic gas production continues to decline. The country produced 15.8 bcm of natural gas during the first five months of 2026, down 14.1% from the same period in 2025 and 16.4% lower than in January-May 2024.

Earlier this year, Kazakhstan's Energy Minister Yerlan Akkenzhenov said the country is ready to expand the transit of Russian gas to Uzbekistan, noting that the necessary infrastructure on the Kazakh side is already in place while Russia continues negotiations with Tashkent.

Akkenzhenov said that Uzbekistan aims to increase imports of Russian gas to 11 bcm annually, highlighting the country's growing energy demand and the expanding role of regional gas cooperation.