Central Asia Diversifies and Indigenizes Defense Procurement to Limit Reliance on Moscow

(Bradley Jardine, Edward Lemon – The Jamestown Foundation) On January 13, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev announced plans to revise Uzbekistan’s 2018 Defense Doctrine, signaling a major modernization shift centered on artificial intelligence (AI), drones, and cyberwarfare, alongside efforts to expand domestic defense industrial capacity. The reform reflects a broader Central Asian trend of reducing reliance on Russia’s legacy security architecture, as states reassess dependence on Moscow amid its constrained defense industry, sanctions pressure, and reputational concerns following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are investing heavily in indigenous defense industries, particularly drone production, armored vehicles, and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)-standard ammunition, reflecting a broader regional strategy to strengthen military autonomy while avoiding excessive dependence on any single foreign supplier. – Central Asia Diversifies and Indigenizes Defense Procurement to Limit Reliance on Moscow – Jamestown