On 2 July 2024, External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar met with the Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, Mr. Murat Nurtleu, in Astana, the capital city of Kazakhstan. The two ministers discussed the expanding strategic partnership between the two countries and India’s strengthening relationship with Central Asia. Dr. Jaishankar thanked the Deputy PM for his warm hospitality and the arrangements for the SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation) Heads of States Summit. Moreover, the two leaders exchanged views on global and regional issues.
Dr. Jaishankar remarked on this meeting in a post on X, “Delighted to meet DPM & FM Murat Nurtleu of Kazakhstan in Astana today. Thanked him for the hospitality and arrangements for the SCO Council of Heads of State Summit. Discussed our expanding Strategic Partnership and India’s increasing engagement with Central Asia in various formats. Also exchanged views on regional and global issues.”
Relations between India and Kazakhstan date back at least 2000 years, and both countries share historical and cultural ties. Regular exchange of goods, ideas, and cultural influences marks the shared history of both nations. Furthermore, the journey of Sufism from Central Asia to India and Buddhism from India to Central Asia indicates the close cultural relations between both countries. There have been several high-level exchanges between India and Kazakhstan. Their bilateral relations are effective in the diverse areas of culture, defence, economy, trade, connectivity, and security. India and Kazakhstan also have a longstanding history of cooperation in several international fora like the SCO, UN organisations, and the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA).
Dr. Jaishankar arrived in Astana on 2 July to represent India at the SCO Summit. Kazakhstan Deputy Foreign Minister Mr. Alibek Bakayev welcomed Dr. Jaishankar at the airport. The Summit is scheduled to be held on 3 and 4 July. At present, Kazakhstan is the chair of the Summit. Dr. Jaishankar will lead the Indian delegation at the meeting. On 4 July, he will attend the 24th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State (SCO Summit), which will take place under the presidentship of Kazakhstan.
At the Summit, leaders will review the SCO activities over the last twenty years and discuss the prospects and state of multilateral cooperation. They will also discuss topics of regional and international influence. Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s SECURE vision drives India’s priorities at the SCO Summit. SECURE stands for ‘Security, Economic cooperation, Connectivity, Unity, Respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, and Environmental protection’.
On 4 July 2023, India organised the 23rd meeting of the Council of Heads of State (SCO Summit) in a virtual format under its presidentship. It was under India’s leadership that Iran joined the SCO last year. Kazakhstan took over the SCO presidentship from India in 2024.
