Putin: Russia-Tajikistan Trade Grows 25% in First Half of Year

Trade Growth Highlighted at SCO Summit Meeting

Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Tajik President Emomali Rahmon on Tuesday on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Kyrgyzstan, where he reported a significant increase in bilateral trade. According to Putin, trade turnover between Russia and Tajikistan grew by 25.1% in 2025 and by another 25% in the first half of this year, a pace he described as "very good."

The figures were reported by both Sputnik and TASS, which quoted Putin's remarks at the meeting. The Russian president also noted that 320 enterprises with Russian participation operate in Tajikistan, and that more than 96% of all transactions between the two countries are conducted in national currencies.

Security Cooperation and Regional Concerns

Putin addressed regional security issues, particularly regarding Afghanistan. "Naturally, we operate in a secure environment. We are aware of your concerns about what is happening in our neighboring country, Afghanistan. We are in close contact on this and other security-related issues," he said, according to Sputnik.

The Russian president stressed that the two leaders maintain regular contact and a high level of communication, describing the status of their relations as "a strategic partnership and alliance."

Economic Cooperation Programs

Both leaders discussed ongoing economic initiatives. Putin highlighted the active work of the intergovernmental commission and noted that Russia and Tajikistan are implementing an economic cooperation program for 2024–2027. The two countries are also following a joint plan aimed at increasing bilateral trade by 2.5 times by 2030, he said.

The trade growth figures were attributed to these joint measures and the economic cooperation program.

Humanitarian and Educational Ties

Putin also emphasized cooperation in the humanitarian sphere, mentioning that around 6,000 students are studying at Russian-language schools in Tajikistan. He noted the operation of the Russian-Tajik University in Dushanbe and said that more than 35,000 Tajik students are enrolled at Russian universities.