ASTANA: India and Kazakhstan Saturday signed seven pacts, including a civil nuclear agreement and one between state oil companies that gives an Indian firm 25 percent stake in the Satpayev oil block in the Caspian Sea. The pacts were signed during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's two-day trip to the oil and mineral-rich Central Asian country that began Friday.
India's ONGC Videsh Limited (OVL) and Kazakh national company Kazmunaigas would be jointly exploring oil in the Satpayev exploration block, located in the Kazakhstan sector of the Caspian sea. It covers an area of nearly 1,500 sq km.
The block has two prospective structures with 256 million tonnes of hydrocarbon resources.
"Now on signing the agreement, the Kazmunaigas will assign 25 percent participating interest in the block to OVL as a strategic foreign partner in the project," an official said.
Other agreements signed by the two countries are:
* Inter-governmental pact on peaceful uses of atomic energy
* Joint action plan for furthering strategic ties
* Cyber security cooperation
* Mutual legal assistance treaty
* Cooperation in agricultural fields
* Healthcare, medical services and pharmacy proposing establishment of cooperation between research and medical institutes.
The inter-governmental atomic agreement takes forward their nuclear cooperation. According to the new agreement, Kazakhstan will supply 2,100 tonnes of nuclear fuel to India by 2014.
The roadmap on strategic ties outlines the joint action plan for implementation of projects to be undertaken by both sides from 2011-14 for implementation of inter-governmental agreements.
It details specific milestones in a range of areas of bilateral cooperation, including hydrocarbons, civilian nuclear energy, space, information technology and cyber security, high-tech and innovative technology, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, agriculture and cultural exchanges.
The two countries also signed a memorandum of understanding for cooperation in information technology.
The IT pact was signed between the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), Department of Information Technology of India and the Kazakhstan Computer Emergency Response Team (Kz-CERT).
The MoU envisages cooperation in the area of information security and covers the scope of mutual response to cyber security incidents, exchange of information on spam and other cyber attacks, exchange of information on prevalent cyber security policies and exchange of human resources.
They also signed a treaty on mutual legal assistance in civil matters that covers a wide range of measures in accordance with the laws of both countries.
These measures include the service of summons and other judicial documents or processes, taking of evidence by means of letters or request or commissions, recognition and execution of court decisions and arbitral awards.
In farm and allied sectors, the two countries agreed to cooperate in the field of agricultural research and technologies, food and agricultural production. It also includes cooperation in the spheres of agricultural science, food processing, crop production, plant protection and agricultural trade.
They also signed an agreement between the health ministries of the two countries on cooperation in healthcare, medical services and pharmacy. It proposes the establishment of direct cooperation between public health organisations as also scientific research and medical institutes.
It covers exchange of information and data about communicable diseases and envisages joint scientific research, visits of experts and specialists, exchange of information in the field of health services and medicine.