India and Kazakhstan today decided to enhance cooperation in a wide range of areas, including hydrocarbons, trade and investment and the atomic energy.
During the talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, it was also decided to start direct flight services between Astana and New Delhi.
India's Ambassador to Kazakhstan Harsh Kumar Jain said there will two flights per week from Astana to New Delhi from July.
He said it was also decided that Kazakhstan will increase supply of uranium to India. In April last year, Kazakhstan supplied 1,000 tonnes of uranium to India while its second consignment has just reached the country.
As per the provisions, Kazakhstan will supply 5,000 tonnes of uranium to India. Kazakhstan is now one of the biggest suppliers of uranium to India.
Both sides also agreed to deepen cooperation in the hydrocarbon sector.
In the meeting, Prime Minister Modi invited Kazakhstan to join international solar alliance to which Kazakh President Nazarbayev responded positively.
External Affairs spokesperson Gopal Baglay said the meeting lasted for 45 minutes and it produced specific outcomes.
India and Kazakhstan agreed to work closely on major connectivity projects and underlined that Chabahar port will significantly improve trade between the two countries.
They also decided to step up cooperation in textile, manufacturing and other areas.
Prime Minister Modi met Nazarbayev soon after arriving here on a two-day visit during which he will attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit where India and Pakistan will be inducted as full members of the bloc.
"Mr. Nursultan Nazarbayev, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, met PM @narendramodi and discussed ways to expand bilateral ties," the Prime Minister's Office tweeted.
"I look forward to deepening India's association with the SCO which will help us in economic, connectivity and counter-terrorism cooperation, among other things," Prime Minister Modi had said ahead of his visit here.
The Prime Minister will address the SCO Summit tomorrow and is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping amid growing differences between the two countries over a host of issues.
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