Russia Discusses Developing Special Economic Zones (SEZs) to Advance Technological Leadership Projects

By the end of 2025, the cumulative investment by residents of Russia’s special economic zones (SEZs) had surpassed 3.8 trillion rubles. Amid this growth in investment, authorities are re-evaluating the requirements for the development of industrial infrastructure and its economic efficiency. On October 22, the 4th International Forum of Special Economic Zones in Moscow served as a platform to discuss how to leverage SEZs to launch high-tech manufacturing and expand international cooperation.

According to the Russian Ministry of Economic Development, SEZ residents had created over 120,000 jobs by the end of 2025. In April 2026, the government adjusted the criteria for establishing special economic zones, including requirements for justifying infrastructure costs and projected economic outcomes. These changes have taken on added significance in the context of national projects aimed at achieving technological leadership—initiatives that require ready-to-use production sites, engineering infrastructure, and inter-enterprise cooperation.

"The special economic zone mechanism has moved beyond regional objectives and is increasingly contributing to the achievement of federal goals—such as securing technological leadership, meeting domestic demand, restarting the investment cycle, and boosting labor productivity. The economy requires high-productivity, high-tech jobs that offer competitive wages. Special economic zones play a unique role here, acting as magnets for talent, capital, technology, and modern manufacturing. Given this, the key growth driver for SEZs is no longer just the raw number of jobs, but the quality of employment. This is a task that falls not only to businesses, but also to management companies and regional teams," noted Maxim Reshetnikov. At the plenary session, Georgy Belozerov, Deputy General Director of the Agency for Strategic Initiatives (ASI), presented the Agency’s vision regarding the role of special economic zones (SEZs) in the country’s development and outlined key areas for enhancing their efficiency.

"At the ASI, we view special economic zones not merely as a tool for attracting investment to the regions, but as a comprehensive mechanism for national development. In our view, two aspects are crucial: contributing to the achievement of national goals and improving the efficiency of the companies themselves. SEZs should help businesses not only to increase sales but also to reduce costs. A key instrument for this is the circular economy—industrial symbiosis between enterprises, shared infrastructure, and the reuse of resources—which helps lower expenses and boost production efficiency," noted Georgy Belozerov, Deputy General Director of the ASI.

International cooperation is also expanding. More than 100 foreign investors from 34 countries are currently operating within Russian SEZs. To further this collaboration, the International Association of BRICS SEZs has been established, alongside a digital map of the bloc’s special economic zones, which assists investors in identifying suitable locations for their projects.

"Russian special economic zones have accumulated significant expertise in developing infrastructure and supporting investment projects. Today, these competencies are also in demand within the realm of international cooperation. Enterprises are looking for concrete opportunities—such as finding technology partners, organizing joint production ventures, building supply chains, and accessing new markets. It is precisely for this purpose that we initiated the creation of the International Association of BRICS SEZs. Our goal is to establish ongoing interaction between management companies and resident businesses, enabling a transition from discussing potential prospects to the actual implementation of joint projects," stated Mikhail Labudin, Director of the Association of Clusters, Technoparks, and SEZs of Russia (AKIT RF). Sun Yuan, a representative of the "Green Partnership of Industrial Parks of China," presented insights into the development of industrial zones in China. According to her data, the country’s 179 national high-tech zones generated a total output of goods and services valued at 20.4 trillion yuan by the end of 2025, accounting for 14.5% of China’s GDP.

"Over the past four decades, China’s special economic zones have evolved from areas offering preferential terms for investors into comprehensive industrial hubs. Today, their mission is to accelerate the technological advancement of enterprises, improve energy efficiency, and implement eco-friendly solutions. We are keen to expand cooperation between industrial sites in China and Russia, share expertise, and develop joint initiatives," noted Sun Yuan.

According to the representative, collaboration with the Association of Clusters, Technology Parks and SEZs of Russia (ACTP & SEZ of Russia) played a key role in the development of a framework document on cooperation among BRICS special economic zones, which was adopted during a meeting of the bloc’s trade ministers in July 2024. The document provides for the exchange of experience in managing industrial sites and facilitates the development of industrial cooperation.