Speech by Ambassador Y. K. Sailas Thangal at Gidropribor

(Uralsk, 22 October 2026)

Distinguished Colleagues, 

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a great pleasure to be here at the Gidropribor Shipbuilding Plant in Uralsk, an institution with an important legacy in Kazakhstan’s maritime and defence-industrial ecosystem.

India and Kazakhstan share a relationship based on mutual trust, respect and a long-standing commitment to strategic cooperation. Defence and security have been an important pillar of this partnership. Our bilateral Agreement on Defence and Military-Technical Cooperation provides a framework for cooperation in areas including the development, production, repair and modernisation of defence equipment, as well as joint research and training.

I believe that shipbuilding and maritime defence offer one of the most promising areas for taking this cooperation to a new level.

Kazakhstan has developed valuable capabilities in naval shipbuilding, particularly through enterprises such as Gidropribor and the Ural Plant Zenit. The experience of these institutions in ship construction, maintenance, repair, modernisation and underwater technologies provides a strong foundation for future cooperation. Gidropribor's expertise in robotic underwater systems and specialised marine technologies is particularly noteworthy.

India, meanwhile, has built a substantial and increasingly sophisticated shipbuilding ecosystem. Our shipyards today construct a wide range of vessels, including advanced naval platforms, patrol vessels, support ships and specialised craft. India has both public-sector and private-sector shipyards with growing capabilities in design, engineering, construction, repair and maintenance. The Government of India is also taking further measures to expand shipbuilding capacity and develop a globally competitive maritime industry.

This creates a natural opportunity for our two countries to work together.

We could explore joint design and development, technology partnerships, repair and maintenance, specialised vessels, unmanned and underwater systems and the production of components and subsystems. There is also scope for Indian and Kazakh companies to work together on vessels suited specifically to the requirements and operating conditions of the Caspian region.

The possibilities extend beyond individual platforms. We can consider cooperation in training, skill development, research and development, exchange of technical expertise and joint production. Such partnerships can strengthen industrial capabilities in both countries while creating skilled employment and more resilient supply chains.

India is ready to bring to this partnership its experience, engineering capabilities, growing private-sector participation and a strong commitment to co-development and mutually beneficial technology partnerships.

Let us therefore look at shipbuilding not simply as the construction of vessels, but as an ecosystem of technology, innovation, skills and industrial cooperation.

I am confident that the expertise present here at Gidropribor, combined with India's expanding maritime and defence-industrial capabilities, can open a new chapter in India-Kazakhstan defence cooperation.

Let us work together to transform this tremendous potential into concrete projects, partnerships and enduring capabilities. 

I now call upon Col Pankaj K Vidyarthi, our DA to cover the specifics of our intended cooperation.

Thank you.

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