ASTANA — Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu met with India’s Minister of External Affairs Subramanyam Jaishankar on June 5 during his official visit to India, where they discussed the current status and prospects of the strategic partnership between Kazakhstan and India.
Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu with India’s Minister of External Affairs Subramanyam Jaishankar. Photo credit: gov.kz
Both sides emphasized the need to bolster trade and economic ties and create favorable conditions for businesses in both nations.
Nurtleu highlighted that bilateral trade last year reached nearly $1 billion, with Indian investments in Kazakhstan exceeding $450 million over the past two decades. He proposed enhancing business contacts to expand economic cooperation and further increase mutual trade volumes. Additionally, he invited leading Indian companies to collaborate on joint projects in sectors such as industry, energy, transport, and logistics.
“India is a reliable political, trade, and economic partner of Kazakhstan in South Asia, and our ties are developing steadily in a constructive direction,” Nurtleu said.
The meeting underscored the involvement of business communities from both countries in fostering closer economic ties. Currently, over 600 Indian companies operate in Kazakhstan, contributing significantly to various sectors, including pharmaceuticals, mining, and food production.
The officials also exchanged views on regional and global issues, affirming their commitment to continued collaboration within frameworks such as the UN, the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Kazakhstan emphasized the importance of further advancing the Central Asia + India Dialogue as a key platform for regional cooperation.
Nurtleu expressed gratitude to India for its support and co-sponsorship of the UN Security Council resolution on establishing the UN Regional Center on Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan.
Concluding the discussions, the ministries of both countries signed a Cooperation Plan for 2025-2027, outlining promising areas for further collaboration.
