In the first quarter of 2026, Uzbekistan significantly increased its natural gas imports – by 2.2 times compared to last year, reaching $360.5 million. Turkmenistan and Russia were the main suppliers. However, the dynamics of supplies proved to be extremely unstable: in January, imports reached $167.6 million, sharply decreased to $34.6 million in February, and then rose again to $158.3 million in March.

Amidst the growth in foreign purchases, gas exports from Uzbekistan significantly decreased. Supplies to China fell by approximately 2.5 times, totaling $36.7 million. In January, exports were virtually non-existent, resumed at a minimal level in February, and grew to $29.4 million in March, but still remain significantly below last year's figures.

Additional uncertainty is created by discrepancies in statistics between Uzbekistan and China. According to Chinese customs data, the total volume of Uzbek gas imports in January–March amounted to just over $1 million, which is more than $35 million lower than Uzbek estimates. The Chinese side also reports a virtual suspension of supplies in February and March. Overall, compared to the same period last year, gas exports from Uzbekistan decreased by approximately 65 times, to $70.8 million.