Uzbekistan and Russia: A Time-Tested Strategic Partnership
Historical foundations and contemporary dynamics
Relations between Uzbekistan and Russia today constitute a stable model of strategic partnership based on mutual respect, equality, and a shared drive for development. Since the establishment of diplomatic ties on March 20, 1992, the two countries have advanced from classical interstate contacts to a multi-level system of interaction encompassing politics, the economy, industry, energy, transport, and the humanitarian sphere.
Over three decades, there have been 35 reciprocal high-level visits—evidence of a uniquely intensive political dialogue. In just the last two years, the leaders of the two countries have met in Kazan, Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Tashkent to discuss industrial cooperation, energy integration, and support for regional ties. In 2024, the Russian President’s visit to Uzbekistan became a historic event, marking the launch of the Council of Regions—a new format for direct engagement between the regions (constituent entities) of the two states.
An economy without barriers: from trade to industrial cooperation
In the economic sphere, the countries operate under a free-trade regime, and cooperation is coordinated by an Intergovernmental Commission that brings together 14 subcommittees—ranging from industry and investment to science, digitalization, and healthcare.
Recent years have seen steady growth in bilateral trade: from $5.7 billion in 2018 to $11.6 billion in 2024; in January–August 2025 it reached $8.3 billion, up 6.5%. Uzbekistan’s exports to Russia increased by almost 17%, mainly due to textile, food, and metallurgical products. Uzbek fruits, textiles, and non-ferrous metals have long been recognizable brands on the Russian market.
Imports from Russia are traditionally represented by rolled metal products, lumber, energy resources, and vehicles, reflecting the complementarity of the two economies.
Investing in the future: industry, energy, regions
Today, the investment partnership between Uzbekistan and Russia covers 415 projects with a total value of $55.6 billion. In 2024 alone, more than $5.8 billion was disbursed, with a further $5 billion planned for 2025.
More than 3,000 enterprises with Russian capital are operating in Uzbekistan, over 2,100 of them in Tashkent. These companies are present across all strategic sectors—from energy and chemicals to pharmaceuticals and digital technologies.
The project portfolio includes the construction of hydropower facilities, joint production of fertilizers and polymers, development of non-ferrous metal deposits, and the launch of modern machinery-manufacturing and construction enterprises. A distinct area is the development of regional cooperation: in the Bukhara region alone, projects totaling nearly $1.2 billion are being implemented, and in the Namangan region—more than $600 million.
Transport and logistics: Eurasia’s connective link
Transport connectivity remains the backbone of the entire cooperation framework. In 2024, the volume of bilateral freight traffic exceeded 15 million tons, while airline passenger traffic reached 4 million people (+42%).
About 300 flights operate weekly between the countries, making Russia one of Uzbekistan’s largest aviation partners. In rail and road logistics, corridors are being actively modernized—including routes through Kazakhstan and the Caspian—alongside the development of joint logistics centers and multimodal hubs.
Joint “roadmaps” and industrial sites
In recent years, dozens of “roadmaps” have been approved following visits and forums, including the major “INNOPROM. Central Asia” exhibitions. Based on these alone, hundreds of agreements worth billions of dollars have been signed in industry, trade, and innovation.
These documents are not mere formalities—on their basis, dozens of concrete production facilities are being launched, jobs are being created, and a new architecture of industrial cooperation between Uzbekistan and Russia is taking shape.
Conclusion: an alliance of enterprise and pragmatism
Uzbekistan and Russia are more than neighbors and partners—their relationship is an example of pragmatic alliance in which the priority is not political rhetoric but tangible results.
The rapid growth of trade, large-scale investment, the development of transport corridors, and the strengthening of humanitarian ties all show that this partnership is not a tribute to the past but an investment in a shared future.
