Ambassador YK Sailas Thangal’s visit to Almaty highlights joint efforts in training, technology exchange, and security collaboration.
Almaty, Kazakhstan – Ambassador of India to Kazakhstan, YK Sailas Thangal, paid an official visit to the Kazakhstan United Nations Peacekeeping Operations Centre and the Army Institute of Radio Electronics & Engineering in Almaty today. The visit underlined the growing momentum in defence and security cooperation between the two countries.
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During the engagements, the Ambassador interacted with senior officials and underlined India’s readiness to deepen collaboration in the areas of peacekeeping, counter-terrorism, cyber security, advanced training, and military technology exchange. Both sides acknowledged that these efforts would pave the way for enhanced capacity building, knowledge sharing, and interoperability in future peacekeeping and defence operations.
Historical Perspective on India–Kazakhstan Relations
India and Kazakhstan established diplomatic relations in February 1992, shortly after Kazakhstan’s independence. Since then, the partnership has steadily evolved into a multi-dimensional relationship, encompassing political dialogue, economic cooperation, energy security, culture, education, and defence.
- Strategic Cooperation: Kazakhstan is India’s closest partner in Central Asia and the first country from the region to sign a Strategic Partnership Agreement with India in 2009, later elevated to an Enhanced Strategic Partnership in 2015 during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Astana.
- Energy Partnership: Kazakhstan is an important supplier of uranium for India’s nuclear energy program, reflecting deep trust and strategic alignment in the energy sector.
- Trade & Economy: Bilateral trade has expanded in areas such as pharmaceuticals, IT, textiles, machinery, and hydrocarbons. India is also among the largest trading partners of Kazakhstan in South Asia.
- Cultural & Educational Links: People-to-people ties have flourished, with growing interest in Indian culture, yoga, Bollywood, and higher education opportunities among Kazakh youth. The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) plays a key role in strengthening these exchanges.
Defence and Military Cooperation
Defence relations form a crucial pillar of the bilateral partnership. Both nations have:
- Participated in joint military exercises such as the “Prabal Dostyk” series, aimed at strengthening counter-terrorism operations and interoperability.
- Engaged in UN peacekeeping training collaborations, where Kazakhstan has shown keen interest in India’s long-standing global peacekeeping expertise.
- Maintained regular exchanges of military delegations, academic cooperation, and professional training programs between armed forces institutions.
Today’s visit by Ambassador Thangal serves as another milestone in this expanding defence partnership. By engaging directly with Kazakhstan’s Peacekeeping Operations Centre and the Army Institute of Radio Electronics & Engineering, India reaffirmed its commitment to advancing joint efforts in training, research, technology, and operational preparedness.
The Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, together with ICCR in Kazakhstan, continues to play a proactive role in broadening the scope of bilateral cooperation, making the India–Kazakhstan relationship a model of trust, mutual respect, and shared aspirations in Central Asia.
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