Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Pays Official Visit to India
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Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Murat Nurtleu, arrived in the Republic of India on an official visit at the invitation of the Indian side, press service of the Kazakh MFA reports.
During the visit, he met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of India, Subramanyam Jaishankar. The parties discussed the current state and prospects for the development of the Kazakh-Indian strategic partnership. Particular attention was paid to strengthening trade and economic ties and creating favorable conditions for the business communities of both countries.
The Kazakh Foreign Minister emphasized that last year the trade turnover between the two countries amounted to about 1 billion US dollars, and the total volume of investments from India to Kazakhstan over the past 20 years exceeded 450 million US dollars.
In this regard, Minister Nurtleu proposed intensifying business contacts to expand economic cooperation and further increase the volume of mutual trade. He also invited leading Indian companies to implement joint investment projects in industry, energy, transport, and logistics.
The importance of the participation of business circles from both countries in developing business ties was highlighted. Currently, more than 600 Indian companies operate in Kazakhstan in sectors such as pharmaceuticals, mining, and food production.
India is a reliable political, trade, and economic partner of Kazakhstan in South Asia, and our ties are developing steadily in a constructive direction," Minister Nurtleu emphasized.
The heads of the foreign ministries also "compared the notes" on topical issues of the regional and global agenda, confirming their readiness for further cooperation within the frameworks of the UN, CICA, and SCO.
The Kazakh side stressed the importance of further promoting the "Central Asia + India" Dialogue as an important platform for discussing key issues of regional cooperation.
The Kazakh Foreign Minister also expressed gratitude to the Indian side for supporting and co-sponsoring the UN Security Council resolution on the establishment of the UN Regional Center on Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan.
Following the meeting, the Plan of Cooperation between the Foreign Ministries of Kazakhstan and India for 2025-2027 was signed, outlining promising areas for further collaboration.
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UN Disarmament Programme Fellows Visited the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan
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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan hosted a meeting with the fellows of the UN Disarmament Program, press service of the Kazakh MFA reports.
This annual program implemented under the auspices of the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs aims to train future specialists from around the world whose professional activities will be related to disarmament and non-proliferation issues.
During the meeting, representatives of Kazakhstan’s foreign ministry provided information on the country’s policies in the field of nuclear disarmament and the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Special attention was given to Kazakhstan's key initiatives in the area of international security, as well as the country’s contribution to strengthening global stability.
As part of the visit taking place from June 19 to 22, the international fellows will visit the city of Kurchatov (Abai Region), where they will learn about the activities of the National Nuclear Center of the Republic of Kazakhstan and visit the site of the former Semipalatinsk nuclear test site.
This visit already marks the seventh event held on Kazakhstan’s territory under the program. Previously similar familiarization trips took place in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2022, and 2023.
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Kazakhstan and EU Compare Notes on Key Areas of Cooperation
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The 22nd meeting of the Kazakhstan - European Union Cooperation Committee in Political Configuration (CCPC) took place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, press service of the Kazakh MFA reports.
The parties held in-depth discussions on the current state and prospects of bilateral relations, with a focus on the practical implementation of the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (EPCA) between Kazakhstan and the EU and its member states, as well as the outcomes of the EU - Central Asia Summit held in Samarkand on April 4, 2025.
The meeting took place in a hybrid format with the participation of representatives from key ministries and agencies of Kazakhstan, the European External Action Service (EEAS), and the EU Delegation in Astana. Deputy Foreign Minister Roman Vassilenko led the Kazakh delegation, while Acting EEAS Managing Director for Europe and Central Asia Luc Devigne led the European.
In his opening remarks, Deputy Minister Vassilenko emphasized the steady progress of the Kazakhstan - EU partnership: "Over the past year, the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between Kazakhstan and the European Union has clearly demonstrated its practical relevance. We are witnessing the expansion of dialogue and the growing cooperation at all levels. The EU is our largest trade and investment partner, and our bilateral trade reached a record-high of nearly 50 billion US dollars in 2024."
Particular attention during the meeting was paid to issues of trade, investment, transport connectivity, energy, climate, the rule of law, and visa liberalization.
The Kazakh side highlighted the expectations of its citizens regarding the reduction of mobility barriers and stressed the importance of launching negotiations on visa facilitation and readmission agreements without delay. Astana reaffirmed its readiness to provide the necessary legal and technical frameworks for such talks.
The parties also reviewed the implementation of agreements reached between President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and the Presidents of the European Council and Commission on the margins of the EU - Central Asia Summit in Samarkand, including on sustainable trade, digitalization, and expanding educational exchanges.
Both sides underscored the strategic importance of strengthening transport connectivity, in particular, through the further development of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (Middle Corridor). The need to transition to concrete steps in modernizing infrastructure along the route was noted, with the EU signaling its readiness to allocate 10 billion euros for this purpose.
In this context, the sides positively assessed cooperation within the framework of the Global Gateway initiative, including the announcement by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen last April regarding the allocation of a 12 billion euros investment package aimed at improving infrastructure, energy, and digital interconnectivity between Europe and Central Asia. Kazakhstan confirmed its commitment to active participation in relevant regional projects.
The parties also emphasized the importance of signing, without a delay, the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the European Union on Certain Aspects of Air Transport. This document is aimed at harmonizing regulatory frameworks, enhancing legal certainty, and strengthening links between Kazakh and European air carriers.
Additionally, the sides highlighted the importance of promoting digital literacy, inclusive education, and academic mobility as foundations for sustainable long-term cooperation.
On climate and the green agenda, the parties welcomed Kazakhstan’s implementation of its commitments under the Paris Agreement, its active involvement in the Global Methane Pledge, and the advancement of joint projects on renewable energy development and sustainable critical raw materials supply chains.
In turn, Managing Director Devigne noted: "Over the past three decades, the European Union and Kazakhstan have grown closer, building a solid and mature partnership of choice based on mutual trust, respect, and solidarity. The partnership between the EU and Kazakhstan is a journey, not a destination. And many more chapters lie ahead in this long-standing friendship."
At the conclusion of the meeting, both parties reiterated their mutual commitment to further strengthening the strategic partnership and implementing joint projects based on mutual respect.
For reference: The Kazakhstan - EU Cooperation Committee in Political Configuration is one of the main institutional mechanisms for bilateral engagement. Its meetings are held at the level of authorized governmental bodies and cover a wide range of political and regional issues such as rule of law, judicial and anti-corruption reforms, regional and international security, OSCE cooperation, visa policy, education, media, and civil society engagement.
The European Union is Kazakhstan’s largest trading and investment partner. In 2024, bilateral trade amounted to 48.7 billion US dollars, up 16.9% compared to 2023 (Kazakhstan’s exports - 38.1 billion; imports - 10.6 billion). Since 2005, cumulative European investment in Kazakhstan’s economy has exceeded 200 billion dollars. Over 3,000 companies with European participation operate in the country.
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Business Council "Central Asia - China" Holds Meeting in Astana
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As part of the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Kazakhstan, the Second Meeting of the "Central Asia - China" Business Council was held in Astana, with the participation of Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of National Economy of the Republic of Kazakhstan Serik Zhumangarin and Chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Ren Hongbin, press service of the Kazakh MFA reports.
The event continued the deepening dialogue between the countries of the Central Asia and China, confirming mutual interest in expanding industrial cooperation, technological exchange, and investment attraction. Particular attention was given to the implementation of major projects in logistics, agriculture, manufacturing, and green energy.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Alibek Kuantyrov noted that the intergovernmental Agreement on the Promotion and Mutual Protection of Investments, signed the day before during the meeting between President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and President Xi Jinping, marked a significant milestone in the development of Kazakh-Chinese economic cooperation. The agreement provides a solid legal foundation for the protection of investors’ interests and creates favorable conditions for increasing mutual capital investments.
Strengthening investment cooperation between Central Asian countries and China is crucial for the sustainable economic growth of the entire region. Yesterday, at the Second Forum on Industrial and Investment Cooperation, organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan and the NDRC of China, 58 commercial documents worth over 24 billion US dollars were signed between Kazakhstan and China. The GDP of Central Asian countries already exceeds 500 billion US dollars, with a combined population of over 80 million people. This is not only a vast market but also a solid foundation for deepening cooperation, creating new industries, transferring technologies, and entering third markets," emphasized Deputy Minister Kuantyrov.
He also emphasized that China remains one of Kazakhstan’s key investment partners. Since gaining independence, Kazakhstan has attracted over 470 billion dollars in foreign direct investment, including 26.4 billion dollars from the PRC. According to him, these figures reflect the stable and strategically significant economic relationship between the two countries.
As part of the event, bilateral documents were signed. Notably, Deputy Chairman of the Board of NC "Kazakh Invest" Azamat Kozhanov and Vice President of the Central Asian and Chinese Association of Furniture and Building Materials Manufacturers Guan Peiyin signed a MoU. The document outlines a project to create an industrial park in Kazakhstan specializing in the production of household goods and construction materials. The planned investment volume is 100 million dollars, with up to 10,000 jobs to be created.
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Ambassador of Kazakhstan Presented the Credential Letters to Grand Master of the Sovereign Order of Malta
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Ambassador of Kazakhstan to the Holy See and to the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta, Timur Primbetov presented his Letters of Credence to His Most Eminent Highness, Fra' John Timothy Dunlap, Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. The solemn ceremony took place at the Magistral Palace of the Order in Rome, press service of the Kazakh MFA reports.
Kazakh diplomat conveyed the cordial greetings and best wishes from the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.
During the subsequent discussions, Ambassador Primbetov apprised the Grand Master of the comprehensive political and socio-economic transformations currently being implemented in Kazakhstan under the leadership of the Head of State. These reforms are strategically aimed at ensuring sustainable economic growth and fostering the development of a just and inclusive society. Furthermore, the Ambassador provided an overview of the upcoming VIII Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, scheduled to convene in Astana in September of the current year.
The Grand Master, expressed his sincere gratitude for the greetings extended and reaffirmed the Order’s unwavering commitment to the further strengthening of amicable relations with the Republic of Kazakhstan. He lauded the recent establishment of the Embassy of Kazakhstan to the Sovereign Order of Malta. Fra’ John Timothy Dunlap underscored Kazakhstan’s significant contributions to the advancement of global interfaith dialogue and conveyed the Order’s keen interest in the participation of a delegation from the Order in the aforementioned Congress.
Diplomatic relations between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Sovereign Military Order of Malta were formally established on February 4, 1993.
In 2001, a branch of the Embassy of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta was inaugurated in Kazakhstan. This was followed by the opening of the Embassy of Kazakhstan to the Sovereign Military Order of Malta in January 2025.
The Sovereign Military Order of Malta currently maintains diplomatic relations with 114 states. The Order’s extensive diplomatic engagement is intrinsically linked to its fundamental humanitarian mission. Within the international political sphere, the Sovereign Military Order of Malta maintains a steadfast position of neutrality.
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