New Delhi: Expressing optimism over India's Presidency of G20 and Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) this year, Kazakhstan's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Kanat Tumysh said that India's presidency will result in good outcomes, especially at a time when the world is facing a volatile and turbulent situation.

"We as a country are inspired by the leadership of India in G20 and SCO. We are also proceeding by the understanding that the motto of the Indian G20 Presidency is very important in each and every country on our planet especially in this volatile and turbulent situation," Kanat Tumysh said.

In an interview with ANI, he said, "We congratulate India on its SCO presidency, and its very important to underline that it is conducted at a time of great changes to world economy, especially like the conflicts in our planet, trade war and sanction war. But I do believe that it will result in very good outcome."

Hailing India's innovation and Startup initiatives, Kanat Tumysh stated that such initiatives will create additional momentum and favourable conditions if India's ideas for startup and innovation are utilized.

"Initiative of India to create working group on innovation and startup is also very important idea. We fully support this idea. Because it is very important to create opportunities for our youth. We do believe the need to utilise this idea in the sectors such as Energy cooperation, environment cooperation which will be the priorities of Kazakhstan in its SCO presidency," Tumysh said.

"Both initiative of India and Kazakhstan will create additional momentum and will create favourable conditions if we utilise India's ideas for startup and innovation," he added.

On the bilateral trade relationship between India and Kazakhstan, the minister stressed on the positive dynamics of bilateral trade turnover, which by the end of 2022 amounted to USD 2.4 billion, which is 16.67 per cent higher than in the previous year.

On February 13, India and Kazakhstan held the 8th Foreign Office Consultations and reiterated their commitment to strengthen relations. The Indian side was led by Sanjay Verma, Secretary (West), Ministry of External Affairs and the Kazakh side was led by Kazakhstan Deputy Foreign Minister Kanat Tumysh. Both sides agreed to hold the next round of Foreign Office Consultations on a mutually convenient date in Astana.