Kazakhstan’s Kurultai has approved a bill ratifying the intergovernmental agreement with Serbia on cooperation in the military-technical sphere.
The agreement establishes a legal framework for cooperation in the development, production, supply and maintenance of military products and equipment.
It also provides for technical assistance, technology transfers and collaboration in research and development related to military technologies.
Under the framework, Kazakhstan and Serbia may cooperate in the training and education of specialists in the military-technical field.
The agreement also allows the two sides to conduct joint testing of weapons and military equipment, taking into account the military infrastructure and technical capabilities available in both countries.
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The agreement was signed in Belgrade on November 29, 2023, during an official visit by Kazakhstan’s then Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Murat Nurtleu.
The signing followed discussions with Serbian officials on expanding bilateral cooperation in the defense and military-technical sectors. The ratification process comes as defense contacts between the two countries have continued.
In June 2026, Kazakhstan’s Ambassador to Serbia, Madi Atamkulov, met Serbian Defense Minister, Bratislav Gašić, in Belgrade to discuss military and military-technical cooperation, including the implementation of agreements reached during Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić’s official visit to Astana in February 2026.
During the June meeting, Kazakhstan expressed interest in exchanging experience and developing cooperation in the defense sector, while both sides discussed further strengthening bilateral military relations.
The military-technical agreement forms part of a Kazakhstan-Serbia partnership that also encompasses trade, transport, agriculture, education, culture and tourism.
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During Nurtleu’s 2023 visit to Serbia, the two countries also signed memorandums on cooperation in culture and sports and discussed expanding economic and logistical ties.
Economic exchanges between the two countries have also recorded growth. According to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, bilateral trade reached $107.7 million in 2025, compared with $100.1 million in 2024, representing an increase of 7.6%.
Transport links have expanded as well, with direct air connectivity between Astana and Belgrade introduced in November 2025 through Kazakhstan’s SCAT Airlines.
The parliamentary approval in the first reading therefore represents a milestone procedural step toward bringing the 2023 military-technical cooperation agreement into force.
Once the ratification process is completed, the framework will provide the two countries with a formal basis for cooperation covering defense equipment, technical support, technology, research, personnel training and joint testing.
Aqsa Fazilat
Aqsa Fazilat is a student of Political Science and Philosophy at Kinnaird College for Women. Her research interest lies in contemporary global politics and political geography.
