Uzbekistan imports $508 million in natural gas over four months as domestic demand shifts

Uzbekistan continued to be a net importer of natural gas during the first four months of 2026, with import volumes comfortably outstripping exports. Data from the National Statistical Committee reveals that between January and April, gas imports from Turkmenistan and Russia rose by 53.6% to reach $508.3 million. Following an initial intake worth $167.6 million in January, import values dipped sharply to $34.6 million in February before rebounding to $158.3 million in March and maintaining a steady pace at $147.8 million in April.

On the export side, deliveries to China fell by more than a third across the four-month period, totaling $129.4 million according to national records. Uzbek gas shipments to China were entirely frozen in January and only trickled back in February at $7.1 million. However, outbound volumes grew more than fivefold in March to hit $29.4 million, followed by a threefold monthly surge in April that brought the export value to $92.7 million.

A substantial mismatch remains between domestic records and foreign trade data. Figures published by the General Administration of Customs of China indicate that Beijing registered just over $46 million in gas imports from Uzbekistan for the January–April period – a discrepancy of more than $83.3 million compared to Tashkent's reporting.

Chinese customs data also shows a different timeline for the trade flow, reporting that Uzbek gas deliveries only resumed in April after a two-month pause. For that single month, Beijing recorded $44.9 million in Uzbek imports, marking a 37.7% decline year on year. Looking at the broader January–April window, China's records indicate a 3.1-fold contraction in Uzbek gas intake compared to the $143 million registered during the same timeframe in 2025.

Regionally, Russia maintains its position as the top pipeline gas exporter to China, delivering fuel worth $3 billion since the start of the year. Turkmenistan secured the second spot with shipments valued at $2.59 billion, followed by Myanmar at $514.1 million and Kazakhstan at $184.7 million. Uzbekistan takes the fifth position in China's supply chain, with its total contribution sitting at $46.05 million according to Chinese customs tracking.