# Uzbekistan seeks to import Indian steel to cut China logistics cost 2026-08-18T13:32:56+00:00 | Business & Economy | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Uzbekistan wants to import steel from India to reduce its high logistics costs, an industry official said on Tuesday. The landlocked Central Asian nation currently imports about 1 million tonnes of steel, including TMT bars, from China. Shipping from China to Uzbekistan via sea costs up to $100 per tonne, on top of the steel price. A shorter alternative route from India would lower this cost, the official said. The Uzbekistan Metallurgy Association has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Indian Steel Association (ISA) to work on manufacturing, technology, logistics and sustainable growth. ISA members include Tata Steel, JSW Steel and Jindal Steel. India, the world's second-largest steel producer, exported 9.1 million tonnes in 2025-26, mainly to the European Union, Vietnam and the UAE. The government has been encouraging steel companies to enter new markets. ## Indian Opinion Analysis This story stems from a single source, The Hindu BusinessLine, which reports the development in a straightforward, neutral-report style. The framing emphasises Uzbekistan's strategic interest in reducing logistics costs, the existing MoU between industry bodies, and India's broader export push. There is no critical or alternative viewpoint presented because only one source is available. The measured takeaway is a concrete trade opportunity: if Uzbekistan diversifies its steel imports away from China, Indian exporters could capture a share of the roughly 1 million tonne annual market, provided logistics and pricing are competitive. The key figure to watch is India's 9.1 MT total steel exports, any uptick to Central Asia would be a new trade corridor. ## Coverage Coverage: 1 source, 1 neutral - thehindubusinessline.com (neutral report) Leads with Uzbekistan's stated cost-saving motive and the ISA MoU, no opposition or government criticism, straight industry report. This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Tags: Indian Steel Association, Jindal Steel, JSW Steel, steel, Tata Steel, Uzbekistan Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/uzbekistan-seeks-to-import-indian-steel-to-cut-china-logistics-cost/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/uzbekistan-seeks-to-import-indian-steel-to-cut-china-logistics-cost/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes. How this brief was made: an AI model read the report linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/