India's Foreign Policy in Kazakhstan: Analysis of Cooperation Potential

Abstract

India is transforming its foreign policy in line with strengthening economic and political profile. The role and political ambitions of its Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, in advocating these changes are crucial. Among the directions he shifted in India’s foreign policy approach was to a Central Asian region, which was demonstrated during Modi’s ‘historic’ tour to all five Central Asian states in summer 2015. The tour was perceived as a new chapter of engagement between India and Central Asia.

Kazakhstan, being the largest trading partner in the region and a strategic partner, had high hopes for those advancements. In addition to traditional rhetoric about historical and cultural ties, India’s modest engagement with Kazakhstan awaited new levels of cooperation, especially given the potential of India’s economy and population. However, the analysis shows that there is still a limited capacity for economic interaction between India and Kazakhstan.

The paper aims to investigate how India's foreign policy towards Kazakhstan has evolved since Prime Minister Narendra Modi was elected in 2014, as well as the economic outcomes of these developments. First, the paper reveals India’s foreign policy under Prime Minister Modi. Then the paper focuses on India’s bilateral relations with Kazakhstan, covering regional and bilateral political mechanisms of cooperation. Further, the paper focuses on economic indicators, analysing bilateral trade and investment ties, and proposing future areas of cooperation. In conclusion, the paper summarises the present India-Kazakhstan relations and their potential for widening their cooperation.

Key words: India, Kazakhstan, India-Kazakhstan relations, trade, investment