Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation

The Prime Minister during his May 1993 visit to Kazakhstan had offered to gift one medium-scale and one small-scale demonstration project with funding under the Indian Technical Economic Cooperation programme (ITEC). In response to the Kazakh side’s request, a project for setting up a heating unit for pensioners in Shezkazgan Region was approved and executed by M/s Thermax. This region has now been merged with Karaganda Oblast and the unit was commissioned in February 1998.

Every year we have been sending sixty candidates from Kazakhstan to India for training in various disciplines, such as, diplomacy, banking, finance, trade, management, small industry promotion, etc., under the ITEC programme. So far 364 candidates from Kazakhstan have been trained in various institutes in India. An English language-training programme has also been organised. ITEC courses have become very popular in Kazakhstan. Seeing the popularity of ITEC courses in Kazakhstan, last year, ITEC slots have been increased. Last year we sent 91 students to India for training under this programme.

Cooperation in science and technology has developed rapidly following the visits to Kazakhstan of the Secretary, Department of Science & Technology in November 1995 and of the Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission in Janu­ary 1996. Some concrete programmes of collaboration between Indian and Kazakh scientific institutions have already been worked out. Prospects in this regard are promising. The second session of the Indo-Kazakh S&T Committee was held in Almaty in October 1998 and a Protocol was signed on 17th October 1998. Third session of the Sub-Committee is likely to be held this year in India.

Cultural Exchange

Indian culture is understood and highly respected in Kazakhstan. The knowl­edge about India and its culture is disseminated here primarily through Indian films, which are popular locally. To promote Indian culture and in order to strengthen the long-standing cultural relations between the two countries, an In­dian Cultural Centre (ICC) has been opened in Almaty in May ’94. The ICC has been organising several programmes for the promotion and strengthening of Indo- Kazakh cultural ties. It has been organising exchange of visits, quiz programmes, essay competitions, cultural evenings, talks, exhibitions and other programmes for achieving these ends. New programmes, which have been started include regular film shows, Hindi language classes, Indian dance classes, Yoga classes etc.

An Indian Studies Centre was set up in the Al-Farabi University in Almaty in September 1998 and the Kazakh State Ablai Khan University for Inter­national Relations and World Languages in November 1999. Widening its activi­ties to the other part of the country, an India Study Centre was set up in Astana in the prestigious Eurasian University. We have revived our contacts with the Friend­ship Society in Ust-kaminogorsk. Recently we have established contacts with State Universitv named after Mirza Haider Unlati in Taraz The TP.fTR offers p.verv vear

scholarship to nineteen meritorious students in Kazakhstan on the recommenda­tion of the Ministry of Education and Science for attending various courses in the Indian Universities.

Kazakhstan celebrated Mahatma Gandhi’s 125th birth anniversary by pub­lishing two commemorative stamps on 2nd October ’95 to mark this occasion. This is for the first time Kazakhstan issued a postage stamp dedicated to a leader outside Kazakhstan. The press also carried important articles on the life and teach­ings of the Mahatma. India celebrated the 150th Birth Anniversary of the famous Kazakh poet and philosopher, Abai, in December 1995 with the publication of Abai’s compositions in Hindi. India issued a postage stamp on Abai on this occa­sion.

A seven-member delegation from Kazakhstan visited Srinagar to pay a visit to the tomb of Mirza Mohammed Haidar Dulati in June 1999 on the occasion of 500th Birth anniversary of Mirza Dulati. They have also organised seminars in Srinagar, Delhi and Jawaharlal Nehru University and met Chief Minister and Government of Jammu & Kashmir.

The Indian Cultural Centre in Almaty has been organising cultural events, seminars, lectures, books and photo exhibitions and book presentations. The Cen­tre has also organised many visits of intellectuals from both the sides. Jour­nalists from Kazakhstan have also been visiting India.

Summing up

This year is the 10th year of Republic of Kazakhstan Independence. Ten years are not very long in the life of a nation, but when we look back at Kazakhstan’s performance over these 10 years, we have to give high marks to the achievements of this country. Kazakhstan has succeeded in estab­lishing a stable polity and a stable economy and has taken successful initia­tive for collective efforts towards peace, security and stability in the re­gion. Kazakhstan has been able to win the confidence of investors from many countries of the world. India, during the last two decades has emerged as an economy with strong fundamentals and resilience. India has had stable growth even in the wake of many ups and down in the World situa­tion. Both for Kazakhstan and India, what has been achieved can only be considered as a good groundwork for fast growth and full development.

It is an imperative for both of our two countries to proceed, with determination, on path to development. And both of our two countries would stand to gain enormously from a sustained partnership in our jour­ney on that path.

 

 

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