Shri V. Muraleedharan, Minister of State for External Affairs and Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs paid a visit to Kazakhstan on 11-12 November 2019 to participate in the 5th Astana Club Meeting, a Regional Discussion Forum held under the patronage of the First President of Kazakhstan H.E. Mr. Nursultan Nazarbayev. Speaking on the theme of “Intersection of Global Interest in Central Asia”, Shri Muraleedharan emphasised on India’s policy of greater cooperation with Central Asian countries through various mechanisms including the India-Central Asia Dialogue, connectivity through Chabahar and the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) and greater cooperation in the field of Security and Counter-Terrorism.
He met the Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan, both sides highly evaluated the ongoing cooperation between the two countries. During the visit he with the Kazakh First Vice Minister for Energy H.E. Mr. M. Dosmukhambetov, Minister where he expressed India’s strong interest in expanding the participation of Indian oil companies in the Kazakh hydrocarbon sector.