India, Kazakhstan identify new areas for bilateral cooperation

ASTANA - Indian External affairs Minister S M Krishna, on Wednesday called on Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev and Prime Minister Karim Massimov.

Talking about his meeting, Krishna, presently on a three-day State visit to Kazakhstan, said: “We held detailed talks ….. and have identified several new areas which will help to further broaden and deepen our relations.”

“An agreement in the field of culture has been signed during the visit. We have also finalized a roadmap in which specific sectors and projects have been identified for time-bound implementation,” he said.

“All these will further consolidate the framework for further strengthening our cooperation in diverse sectors,” he added.

Krishna informed that he and Saudabayev conducted a “comprehensive review” of bilateral relations in all spheres, including strategic affairs.

He thanked Kazakhstan for its support to India’s campaign for a permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

Addressing a joint business-meet of Indo-Kazakh Business Forum, Krishna invited the Kazakh businessmen to invest in India, as he said: “I feel that the Kazakh businessmen should also look more closely at India not only as a large market,(but) as a vibrant and dynamic scientific, technological and economical one.”

He added that Indian companies have started looking more seriously at Kazakhstan not only in terms of trading but also in terms of taking up projects, collaborating with Kazakh companies to establish joint ventures in the area of power production, infrastructure and other areas.

It is pertinent to mention that a large contingent of Indian businessmen is accompanying the Indian External Affairs Minister Krishna to explore greater economic ties between the two countries. By Ravi Shankar (ANI)