The India -Kazakhstan Strategic Dialogue 2026 is being held in Astana on September 24, bringing together leading experts and scholars from India and Kazakhstan to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral ties, with the conference taking place shortly after the BRICS Summit 2026 held under India’s chairmanship, Qazinform News Agency correspondent reports.
Ambassador of India to Kazakhstan Y.K. Sailas Thangal said that the two countries maintain a strong political relationship, supported by historical and cultural ties, mutual respect and a shared commitment to peace, stability and development. He highlighted the potential for cooperation in energy resources, critical minerals, agriculture, logistics and other sectors, noting that the two economies have complementary strengths.
Thangal outlined a series of business initiatives organized by the Indian Embassy in cooperation with partner institutions, including pharmaceutical business meetings, multisector business delegations and trade exhibitions. He also referred to the participation of Indian companies in exhibitions in Almaty and the visit of approximately 70 Kazakh companies and more than 120 business representatives to Chennai in September 2026.
He emphasized that such activities are intended to produce concrete commercial outcomes rather than remain isolated events. Dr. Pravesh Kumar Gupta of the Vivekanand International Foundation examined the development of India-Kazakhstan relations over the past 3 decades, placing the partnership within the context of changes in global geopolitics, the world economy and technology.
He noted that India was among the first countries to recognize Kazakhstan's independence and that diplomatic relations were established in February 1992. The bilateral relationship was elevated to a strategic partnership in 2009. Gupta highlighted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Kazakhstan in 2015 as a significant milestone.
He said the visit contributed to agreements on uranium supplies, defense and military-technical cooperation, while also creating momentum in discussions on energy, trade and connectivity. According to Gupta, the next stage of the partnership should focus on moving beyond political goodwill toward practical implementation.
He identified energy and strategic resources as one of the areas with potential for expanded cooperation. Gupta also pointed to opportunities in defense and security cooperation, including counterterrorism, intelligence sharing, cybersecurity and border management.
He said that technological developments in areas such as AI, drones and space-based applications are creating new dimensions for bilateral cooperation. The speaker also called for closer cooperation in education, research and innovation. He proposed joint university research programs, partnerships between think tanks and technology institutions, and greater interaction among students, young researchers and entrepreneurs.