Gazprom Eyes Surge in Central Asian Gas Exports to 20 bcm by 2030 — Forecast

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Russian energy giant Gazprom could boost natural gas supplies to Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan to 19–20 billion cubic metres (bcm) annually by 2030, according to projections from analysts at Gazprombank’s Centre for Economic Forecasting.

A significant share of the growth is expected to come from Uzbekistan, where imports of Russian gas may rise from the current 3 bcm to around 12 bcm per year. Analysts attribute this potential increase to population growth, industrial expansion, and declining domestic gas output.

Kazakhstan is also projected to expand imports, with supplies transiting its territory potentially reaching 10 bcm in 2026. In parallel, Kazakhstan is set to retain its strategic role as a transit corridor for deliveries to Uzbekistan and, possibly, Kyrgyzstan.

Experts link Gazprom’s intensified focus on Central Asian markets to the company’s search for new export avenues amid shrinking sales to Europe. The shift is already visible: according to TASS, Russian gas exports to the region rose by 15% between January and August 2025. In 2024, Uzbekistan alone imported 5.64 bcm of Russian gas.

Analysts believe that the emerging trend signals the formation of a new, stable export vector for Russian gas. If realised, it could reshape the energy landscape of Central Asia and alter regional supply balances by the end of the decade.