INDIA & KAZAKHSTAN

India, Kazakhstan sign pact on nuclear cooperation

        Prime Minister Dr. Man mohan  Singh and Kazakhstan President,Nazarbayev  agreed on a three-year Joint Action Plan. It details specific milestones in hydrocarbons, civilian nuclear energy, space, IT & cyber security, high-tech and innovative technology, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, agriculture and cultural exchanges.The two countries moved a step towards more intensive collaboration in nuclear energy with the signing of the Agreement on Cooperation in Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy but this is subject to both sides “adhering to their existing obligations under multilateral nuclear regimes.”They also inked a memorandum in the area of information security and India agreed to set up an Indian-Kazakhstan Centre of Excellence in the Eurasian University in Astana. Speaking at a luncheon, Dr. Singh noted that Kazakhstan was one of the first Central Asian States with which India established diplomatic ties. He also pointed out that Mr. Nazarbayev's visit in 2009 (when he was Chief Guest at the Republic Day celebrations) launched the strategic partnership and paved the way for “solid and substantive outcomes in sectors where we have complementary strengths.”

     The Prime Minister highlighted the pacts on nuclear energy, mutual legal assistance, agriculture, cyber security and healthcare and hoped that diversification would take place in pharmaceuticals, IT, mining, fertilizers and science & technology to broad base bilateral ties. The summit meeting follows a two-day Pakistan-Kazakhstan Joint Ministerial Commission in Islamabad which basically focused on strengthening trade and investment ties. (The Hindu)

                     Prof. John Kurakar