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India Uzbekistan Free Trade Agreement Floated as Tashkent Courts Minerals Investment

India has floated the possibility of a free trade agreement with Uzbekistan as Tashkent seeks Indian investment in copper and rare-earth processing. Indian Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal described a potential agreement as a “promising idea” during an India-Uzbekistan Business Forum in New Delhi, saying the two governments could examine it further. He also called for bilateral trade to reach approximately $3 billion within three years. Uzbek government figures put trade turnover at $1.3 billion in 2025, an increase of 33% from the previous year. The relationship remains heavily weighted toward Indian exports: Uzbekistan imported goods worth $1.15 billion from India while exporting $164.6 million in the opposite direction. Mining provided the clearest new commercial focus during the visit by Uzbekistan’s Minister of Investments, Industry and Trade, Laziz Kudratov. He highlighted the country’s deposits of gold, copper, uranium and rare-earth elements, and invited Indian companies to provide capital and technology for copper refining and the production of higher-value rare-earth products. More than 250 officials and business representatives attended the forum. Despite the, the event ended up being very light on investment announcements. Uzbekistan is already trying to turn its mineral deposits into a domestic processing industry. In March, the government announced a $4.2 billion critical-minerals program comprising 120 projects. [when?] The first projects include the production of high-purity selenium, tellurium and rhenium, while the country is also seeking to expand its established tungsten and molybdenum industries. India’s interest has a clear supply-chain rationale. China supplied between 60% and 81% of India’s permanent-magnet imports by value between 2022 and 2025, and an even larger share by volume. Rare-earth permanent magnets are used in electric-vehicle motors, wind turbines, electronics and defense equipment. New Delhi has begun looking overseas for alternative supplies. Under its National Critical Mineral Mission, the state-owned Khanij Bidesh India Limited has secured exploration and mining rights covering five lithium-brine blocks in Argentina. It has also examined potential lithium and cobalt investments in Australia. Beyond mining, pharmaceuticals appear to offer the strongest established basis for expanding trade, with Uzbekistan inviting Indian companies to establish local production facilities. According to the Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, approximately 400 Indian-owned companies already operate in Uzbekistan. [source?] While no formal negotiations have begun, a free trade agreement could lower duties on these products. That said it would not remove larger regulatory logistical obstacles. India and Uzbekistan have no direct land connection, meaning freight must cross several borders or travel through Iranian ports and overland transport corridors. Uzbek Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov said the visit produced agreements to expand investment and industrial cooperation, but provided no details of individual projects. For now, both the proposed trade agreement and the minerals partnership remain at an exploratory stage.

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Four Tankers Load at CPC as Tengizchevroil Plans Larger Batumi Shipments

Four tankers have completed loading Kazakh crude at the Caspian Pipeline Consortium’s Black Sea terminal following the July 30 attacks, providing vessel-tracking confirmation that shipments restarted. Two have left the terminal area, while at least three more were waiting nearby, Bloomberg reported. Chevron CEO Mike Wirth said on July 31 that the pipeline was flowing and ships were being loaded. CPC has not issued a detailed notice covering the restart, but the completed cargoes confirm that tanker loading resumed, though throughput remains below normal. Kazakhstan’s Energy Ministry said CPC was receiving 100,000 metric tons of crude a day as of August 1, equivalent to about 730,000 barrels per day, after temporarily suspending its pipeline system on July 31. “The CPC continues to receive oil from shippers, while storage tanks are being filled,” the ministry said. It added that further increases would depend on tankers arriving on time for loading at the marine terminal. The offshore facility is technically capable of handling the volumes recorded before the attacks, but exports still depend on vessel availability and weather conditions. The daily charter rate for a tanker calling at the terminal reached $338,000 by the end of last week, nearly double its level a month earlier, according to Baltic Exchange data. Some shipowners were avoiding the terminal after repeated attacks on vessels loading or waiting nearby. An industry source familiar with operational data told Reuters that national oil and gas condensate output averaged about 1.85 million barrels per day in July, down 14% from 2.16 million barrels per day in June. Tengiz output fell 18% month on month, while Kashagan declined 25% and Karachaganak fell 18%, the source said. Tengiz was producing about 454,000 barrels per day on July 31, compared with a June average of 961,000 barrels per day. The Energy Ministry and the field operators had not confirmed those preliminary figures. CPC carries more than 80% of Kazakhstan’s oil exports and handles most production from Tengiz, Kashagan, and Karachaganak. The pipeline runs about 1,510 kilometers from western Kazakhstan through Russia to the terminal near Novorossiysk. Russia holds 31% of the consortium, while Kazakhstan holds 20.75%. Chevron owns 15%, and ExxonMobil holds 7.5%. Tengizchevroil is also expanding a smaller alternative route. The Chevron-led venture plans to send about 100,000 metric tons of Tengiz crude by rail to Georgia’s Batumi oil port terminal in August, Reuters reported, citing two industry sources. About 20,000 tons had moved through Batumi from the start of July, marking the first shipments on the route since March. The planned volume for August is equivalent to roughly 24,000 barrels per day, five times the July total, but small beside Tengiz’s normal output and the volumes CPC can carry. Batumi cannot replace the pipeline, though it provides an additional outlet if security problems again slow tanker arrivals near Novorossiysk. On August 3, the cargo ship Nadezhda was hit by a drone about 20 nautical miles from Novorossiysk, seriously injuring three crew members. The vessel was not reported to be carrying...

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Kazakhstan Proposes Rules for Paid Electronic Entry Permits

Kazakhstan's Interior Ministry has opened public consultation on rules for a paid electronic entry permit for foreign visitors. The ministry has proposed a phased rollout between August and December 2026, but the published summary leaves several basic questions unanswered. The proposal was posted on July 31, and remains open for comments until August 17. It would amend Kazakhstan's 2012 rules governing the entry, stay, and departure of foreign nationals. The ministry says the system will provide "transparency, speed, and completeness [in] recording the cross-border movements of foreign nationals.” However, the consultation page does not display the proposed amendments, an explanatory note, or a comparative table. Rather, it shows an information summary and one attachment labeled as a Russian-language table, leading one public commenter, Andrei Sukhanov, to ask: "Where is the draft itself? Or is only its title being discussed?" That omission makes it impossible to establish several important terms from the consultation. The page does not state the fee, the nationalities covered, the grounds for refusal, the appeal process, or the date when permits would become mandatory. It also fails to explain whether visa holders would need a further separate authorization. The legal basis for introducing paid electronic entry permits already exists: President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed Law No. 326-VIII on June 24. The law was first published on June 25, and most of its provisions take effect on August 25. The law defines an electronic entry permit as a digital document granting a foreign citizen or stateless person the right to enter Kazakhstan or transit its territory. The Interior Ministry will issue, refuse, or cancel permits in coordination with the National Security Committee. Foreign citizens and stateless persons entering Kazakhstan will undergo identification and authentication, including the processing of personal and biometric data for a digital immigration profile. The government will set the fee and payment procedure. The law directs half of the revenue toward migration and border-control technology, while the other half will support domestic and inbound tourism. The Interior Ministry's summary says differentiated charges would fund technical maintenance, digital infrastructure upgrades, and personal-data protection. It gives no amounts or categories, meaning travelers cannot assess the cost. Kazakhstan is already testing the permit through the QazETA platform. During the pilot, the Electronic Travel Authorization is recommended rather than compulsory for citizens of visa-exempt countries. Applicants are asked to submit requests through the mobile app at least 72 hours before travel, and an authorization remains valid for 180 days. An ETA does not extend the permitted length of stay or guarantee admission, with border officials retaining the final decision. The current pilot exempts holders of diplomatic and service passports, members of official delegations, and accredited diplomats. The government has not announced when the pilot will end or published the list of countries that will face a mandatory requirement. A local report in July said Kyrgyzstan had sought clarification on whether the system would cover citizens of Eurasian Economic Union states. Kazakhstan has not published a decision on that point. The...

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Uzbekistan-China Satellite Project Advances with AI Module

Uzbek engineers are developing an onboard artificial intelligence module for a new Earth observation satellite being built in partnership with a Chinese aerospace company. The satellite, named Samarqand-2028, is being developed under an agreement between Uzbekistan’s national space agency, Uzbekcosmos, and China’s STAR.VISION Aerospace. The Chinese company is developing the satellite itself, while Uzbek specialists are working on an onboard AI system that will help process the information it collects. The spacecraft will use hyperspectral imaging, which can detect features invisible to the human eye. Uzbekcosmos said the satellite could be used to monitor agriculture and the environment, as well as provide information for other parts of the economy. The project could include the creation of national maps showing where cotton and wheat are grown. It remains unclear when the satellite will be launched. It was expected to enter orbit in May 2026, but that target passed without a launch. In its latest update, Uzbekcosmos referred only to an upcoming launch and did not provide a revised date. Samarkand was selected to host the 2028 International Astronautical Congress in October 2025. It will be the first time the event, one of the world’s largest annual gatherings for the space industry, has been held in Central Asia. Hosting the congress will bring international attention to Uzbekistan’s space ambitions. Its longer-term impact, however, will depend on whether projects such as Samarqand-2028 help Uzbek specialists develop skills and build technology that can be used inside the country. The government has identified the space sector as one of the country's emerging high-technology priorities and is using the 2028 congress to showcase those ambitions. As The Times of Central Asia previously reported, Uzbekistan is also preparing to launch its first domestically developed scientific satellite and has begun a program to train the country’s first astronaut.

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Kazakhstan International Student Scholarships Draw 16,000 Applicants

More than 16,000 people from 71 countries applied for 550 scholarships at Kazakh universities for the 2026-2027 academic year, giving applicants a success rate of just 3.4%. The successful candidates represent 49 countries, up from 26 in the previous academic year. The largest numbers of applications came from the Palestinian territories, Indonesia, Russia, Uzbekistan, and Afghanistan. Kazakhstan's state scholarship program provides 490 undergraduate scholarships, 50 master's scholarships, and 10 doctoral scholarships. The awards cover tuition and provide recipients with a monthly stipend. For the first time, students from the United States, Italy, Germany, the Maldives, and South Korea have been awarded scholarships under the program. A total of 27 universities are participating in the initiative, offering 886 academic programs. The largest numbers of scholarship recipients will study at Astana IT University and L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University in Astana, Satbayev University and the Kazakh Ablai Khan University of International Relations and World Languages in Almaty, and Sh. Ualikhanov Kokshetau University in Kokshetau. The program involved 37 universities and offered 2,668 academic programs last year, compared with 27 universities and 886 programs this year. The ministry did not explain the change. Launched in 2019, the scholarship program is designed to attract talented international students to Kazakhstan while expanding academic cooperation with other countries. It is open to foreign nationals, including ethnic Kazakhs living abroad who are not citizens of Kazakhstan. The ministry said ethnic Kazakhs from abroad accounted for a “significant” share of applicants, but did not disclose what proportion of the 550 scholarships they received. Applicants can select Kazakh, Russian, or English as their language of instruction, depending on the degree program. They must demonstrate sufficient proficiency before admission, as the scholarship program does not include preparatory courses in basic subjects or foreign languages. Competition for the scholarships has intensified. Applications increased from 13,723 candidates from 57 countries for the 2025-2026 academic year to 16,098 applicants from 71 countries this year, an increase of 17.3%, while the number of awards remained unchanged at 550. The scholarship program is part of Kazakhstan's broader effort to establish itself as a regional higher education hub. During the 2025-2026 academic year, the country hosted 35,075 international students from 88 countries, an increase of 11% from the previous year, while the government has expanded partnerships with foreign universities and opened 32 foreign university branches, attended by approximately 12,000 students. International students nevertheless account for only about 5% of Kazakhstan’s total university enrollment. Kazakhstan occupies the top three positions in the QS Central Asia University Rankings 2026. Al-Farabi Kazakh National University ranks first, followed by L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University and Satbayev University. Eighteen Kazakh institutions appear in the QS World University Rankings 2027, although none ranks among the global top 100. Al-Farabi Kazakh National University leads the country at joint 177th, followed by L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University at joint 338th and Satbayev University at joint 351st.

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Kazakhstan Considers Oilseed-Based Aviation Fuel Project with Hong Kong Investor

Kazakhstan is considering a plant in Alatau City to produce sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from industrial oilseeds in cooperation with Hong Kong investment firm Full Vision Capital. Deputy Agriculture Minister Azat Sultanov said at a government meeting on August 4 that the proposal was under consideration. Alatau City is a new city near Almaty operating under a special legal regime. An industry analysis published on June 18 said Kazakhstan's three refineries produced about 750,000-760,000 metric tons of aviation kerosene in 2025, while total demand was estimated at 1.2 million tons. The analysis, citing Ministry of Energy data, said domestic production covered the needs of domestic airlines, but international carriers and transit or cargo operations left an overall shortfall of roughly 450,000 tons. Russia has traditionally supplied much of the balance. Ukrainian drone attacks have disrupted Russian refineries in 2026, affecting fuel exports to Central Asia. Jet fuel exports by rail to Central Asia and Afghanistan fell by more than 92% in June from May, while Russia restricted exports of jet fuel and other refined products, Reuters reported. Speaking at the cabinet meeting, Sultanov said the government was expanding support for agricultural processing projects that produce higher-value goods. "To expand exports, including to more distant markets, we are developing deeper processing industries," Sultanov said. "Alongside major projects producing starches, amino acids, gluten, feed additives and other value-added products, the administration of Alatau City, together with Full Vision Capital, is also considering a project to produce aviation fuel from oilseed crops." The August 4 remarks followed discussions held in July. Agriculture Minister Aidarbek Saparov met company representatives on July 9 to discuss SAF production from industrial oilseeds, with agricultural and food waste considered as additional feedstock. A day earlier, Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbayev met a delegation from Towngas and Full Vision Capital to discuss a possible SAF plant using EcoCeres technology in Alatau City. Full Vision Capital is the family office of Hong Kong businessman Peter Lee. Its portfolio includes EcoCeres, which produces SAF and hydrotreated vegetable oil. Officials in Kazakhstan have identified Alatau City as a priority location for the proposed plant, which remains under discussion. The proposal would add a domestic source of aviation fuel if it proceeds. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, Kazakhstan is also considering processing Russian crude at its refineries, with part of the output sold domestically and part returned to Russia.