Kazakhstan Is Buying Fewer Drones, But Paying More For Them

Kazakhstan reduced drone imports in 2025 but spent more on purchases, Orda.kz reports, citing Tradereport.kz.

According to the service, 2,250 drones worth $10.3 million were imported into the country in 2025. In physical terms, imports fell by 26%, but in monetary terms, they increased by 42%. Simply put, Kazakhstan bought fewer drones, but the average purchase price rose significantly.

China remained the main supplier. It accounted for 1,999 drones worth $6.3 million — almost 89% of all imports by quantity. The average price of a Chinese drone was about $3,100.

Russia supplied 204 drones worth $243,000. This was the cheapest segment, at about $1,200 per unit. According to Tradereport.kz, these were mainly light devices weighing up to 250 grams.

Vietnam supplied 26 drones worth $197,000. The average price was about $7,600 per unit.

The most expensive segment came from Turkey. Kazakhstan imported only 12 drones from the country, but their total value reached $3.4 million. The average price of one such device was about $283,000. This may indicate supplies of heavy industrial or specialized UAVs.

The increase in supplies of expensive Turkish drones coincided with intensified cooperation between Astana and Ankara in the defense industry. Orda.kz recently reported that Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed to create a UAV production enterprise in Kazakhstan.

Original author: Alexander Zhdanov

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