Uzbekistan-US Trade: Shifting from 86% Digital Services to Industrial Goods

Uzbekistan is attempting to pivot its relationship with the United States from high-level political diplomacy to measurable economic output. While the headline figures of bilateral cooperation-including a three-year economic program valued at $35 billion-suggest a massive scale of engagement, the actual physical flows of trade and investment reveal a more complex transition from digital services to industrial production. The Trade Gap: Digital Services vs. Physical Goods The trajectory of bilateral trade shows steady growth, with turnover rising from $408 million in 2018 to $881.7 million in 2024. By the end of the last season, this figure surpassed $1 billion, and projections suggest it could reach $2 billion by the end of 2026, assuming a 20% growth rate. However, a breakdown of these numbers reveals a significant imbalance in the nature of exports. Approximately 86% of Uzbekistan's exports to the U. S. consist of services, primarily driven by the IT sector. Of the 800 active digital service companies in Uzbekistan, 448 are focused on the American market. While this highlights a strength in the knowledge economy, it underscores a deficit in tangible goods. The current challenge is to shift this balance by introducing Uzbek textiles, food, and agricultural products to the U. S. market, which requires overcoming hurdles in international certification, logistics, and brand recognition.