Prime Minister of India - Dr. Manmohan Singh

Joint Statement: Consolidating the Strategic Partnership between the Republic of India and the Republic of Kazakhstan

Following is the text of Joint Statement signed between the Republic of India and the Republic of Kazakhstan at Astana, Kazakhstan:

"1. His Excellency Dr. Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of the Republic of India, paid an Official Visit to Kazakhstan on 15-16 April, 2011 on the invitation of His Excellency Mr. Nursultan Nazarbayev, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

2. During the visit Dr. Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of the Republic of India held discussions with Mr. N. Nazarbayev, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan and met with Prime Minister Mr. K. Massimov. The leaders noted with satisfaction the high level of relation between India and Kazakhstan and expressed their firm commitment to further consolidate the strategic partnership, the foundation for which was laid during the State Visit of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan N. Nazarbayev to the Republic of India in January, 2009.

3. Prime Minister of the Republic of India and President of the Republic of Kazakhstan met in a friendly atmosphere and exchanged views on India-Kazakhstan relations, as well as on international and regional issues. They noted the convergence of their views on most of these issues.

4. Prime Minister of the Republic of India appreciated the important role of the Republic of Kazakhstan promoting regional and international peace & security, successful chairmanship of Kazakhstan of the OSCE in 2010, and the stable political and economic development of the Republic of Kazakhstan, which was reflected in the results of the Presidential Elections held on 3 April, 2011.

5. President of the Republic of Kazakhstan appreciated the growing role of the Republic of India in world affairs, which has been contributing to strengthening peace, stability and mutual understanding between peoples, as well as India's ever-growing political, economic, and scientific stature and potential.

6. The sides stressed that the consistent growth in India-Kazakhstan relations has been promoted by recent meetings at the highest and senior levels, and appreciated increasing mutual understanding and trust, expansion of cooperation in the spheres of trade, economy, energy, socio-cultural activities as well as interaction on international and regional issues. The sides decided to reinvigorate mechanisms for regular meetings at the level of Ministers of the two countries.

7. The sides expressed satisfaction with the activity of India-Kazakhstan Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technical, Industrial and Cultural Cooperation. The sides resolved to improve the mechanism of the Commission's activity through increasing its coordinating role in different spheres of interaction.

8. The sides noted with satisfaction the progress in various fields of cooperation. They welcomed the signing of the "Joint Action Plan" on furthering the strategic partnership between the Government of the Republic of India and the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan ("Road Map") for the period of 2011-2014.

9. The sides highly appreciated the signing of the Agreement on Cooperation in Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy between the Government of the Republic of India and the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The sides noted the need for expansion of mutually beneficial cooperation in this area while adhering to their existing obligations under multilateral nuclear regimes.

10. The sides expressed satisfaction with signing of a Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Civil Matters between the Republic of India and the Republic of Kazakhstan which promotes interaction in legal issues.

11. The sides agreed on the importance of cooperation in food security and welcomed the signing of the Agreement on cooperation in agriculture and allied sectors.

12. The sides welcomed the signing of the Memorandum in the area of information security as also the Indian initiative to set up a Indian-Kazakhstan Center of Excellence in the Eurasian University in Astana.

13. The sides underlined the importance of cooperation in the energy sector to be developed on the basis of equal rights and mutual benefit. The sides expressed satisfaction at the signing of a package of documents between Indian company "ONGC Videsh Limited" and "NC "KazMunaiGaz" JSC on joint exploration of the "Satpayev" oil block.

14. The sides noted the need to enhance interaction in implementation of prospective projects in the area of exploration of new oil and gas deposits, oil refining and petrochemicals, as well as transportation of hydrocarbons, and establishment of science-based industries in the Republic of Kazakhstan with the application of Indian know-how and new technologies.

15. The sides noted with satisfaction the establishment of cooperation between Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and the National Space Agency of Kazakhstan (NSAC), and agreed to work towards fruitful cooperation in the field of space.

16. The sides noted their interest in continued interaction in healthcare and medicine, science and technology, including nano, bio and innovative technologies.

17. The Republic of Kazakhstan recognized India's achievements in the pharmaceuticals sector and welcomed joint ventures in Kazakhstan for production of high quality pharmaceutical drugs.

18. The sides welcomed development of cultural and people-to-people contacts and reiterated their intention to strengthen cooperation in educational, scientific, technical, cultural, tourism and other spheres. They expressed readiness to exchange experts, hold days of culture, exhibitions, symposiums and other events.

19. The sides noted the importance of identifying secure and cost-effective transport connectivity between the two countries, including for transportation of cargo with the participation of transit countries.

20. The sides agreed to enhance collaboration in international economic and financial organizations and to use new opportunities arising as a result of integration processes in the global economy, for the benefit of both countries.

21. The sides expressed interest in strengthening contacts and coordination in international and regional organizations (UN, SCO, CICA and ACD). They emphasized that continuous strengthening of cooperation in the framework of these multilateral structures should contribute to stability and development in the region and in the world.

22. The sides expressed interest in the early settlement of the Afghanistan situation and positively assessed the contribution by both countries to the reconstruction in Afghanistan. They agreed that the global community had rightly noted in the Kabul Communiqu� (July 2010) the importance of ensuring that terrorists were denied sanctuaries. They also underscored the importance of eliminating the narco-trafficking infrastructure that still existed in that country. The sides further assessed that for peace and stability to be restored, it was essential that renewed efforts were made to sufficiently build up the capacity of the Afghan National Security Forces.

23. The sides reaffirmed their view that international terrorism was a serious threat to global peace and security and condemned those who supported terrorism. They strongly condemned the recent act of terrorism (11 April 2011) in the Minsk Metro station, which had led to the loss of several innocent lives and had left hundreds of people injured. They hoped that the perpetrators of this heinous crime would be speedily brought to justice.

24. The Republic of India highly appreciated the Chairmanship of the Republic of Kazakhstan of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and noted that the forthcoming Jubilee meeting of the Council of Heads of member-states of SCO dedicated to the 10th anniversary of the Organization to be held in Astana on 15th June 2011 would become a milestone event in the further development of the SCO. The Republic of Kazakhstan welcomed India's constructive participation in the SCO as an observer country and expressed support for India's intention to play a larger role in the organization.

25. The Republic of India highly appreciated the initiative of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan to convene a Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia - an important forum for the maintenance of peace, stability and security in Asian continent. The Republic of Kazakhstan noted that the Republic of India had been actively and constructively participating in the CICA.

26. The Republic of India welcomed the forthcoming Chairmanship of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the 38th Council of Foreign Affairs Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Conference. It expressed confidence that the Republic of Kazakhstan would play a balanced and constructive role in the functioning of the OIC.

27. The sides affirmed the need to strengthen the UN role in international affairs and consider the organization as a universal tool in the implementation of equitable relations among the members of international community as well as strengthening stability and security in the world. The Republic of Kazakhstan reaffirmed support of the candidature of the Republic of India for permanent membership in the UN Security Council. Noting the strong credentials of Kazakhstan, the Republic of India expressed support to the candidature of the Republic of Kazakhstan for the non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council for 2017-2018. The sides agreed to support each other within the framework of UN and other multilateral fora.

28. The Prime Minister of the Republic of India Dr. Manmohan Singh expressed deep gratitude to the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Mr. N. Nazarbayev and to the Kazakhstan side for the warm reception and hospitality accorded to him and to the Indian delegation during his official visit to Kazakhstan."