The relations between Türkiye and Kazakhstan have developed into a deep-rooted structure based not only on historical and cultural ties within the framework of traditional friendship, but also on a vision of strategic partnership and multidimensional cooperation. The foundation of these relations was laid in 1991 when Türkiye became the first country to recognize Kazakhstan’s independence, and was institutionally solidified with the opening of the Turkish Embassy in Ankara in 1992.
In the following period, diplomatic contacts were intensified through reciprocal embassies, consulates general, and representative offices. Over time, these contacts expanded into a comprehensive structure, encompassing areas such as defense, energy, transportation, trade, and cultural interaction. In particular, the Strategic Partnership Agreement signed in 2009, the establishment of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council in 2012, and the declaration of the “Enhanced Strategic Partnership” in 2022 have become the main documents defining the institutional framework of these relations.[i]
The personal rapport between the leaders of the two countries, reinforced by mutual respect and high-level diplomatic symbolism, has become a cornerstone of strategic relations. The personal reception of President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev at the airport by President of the Republic of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and the statement “welcome to your second homeland,” are not merely diplomatic courtesies but reflect a multilateral solidarity woven around a common Turkic identity, shared political destiny, and the framework of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS). The visit to the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founding leader of the Republic of Türkiye, and the conferral of the Republic of Türkiye’s State Medal upon President Tokayev symbolize the depth of these relations and the shared historical consciousness.[ii] These engagements have not only been part of diplomatic protocol, but also reflect the mutual intent of the two states to build the future together.
The official visit of President Tokayev to Türkiye on 29 July 2025 signifies not only a development in bilateral relations, but also the beginning of a new strategic phase within the institutional structure of the OTS, the umbrella organization of the Turkic World. The agreements signed during the visit in areas such as energy, defense industry, the Middle Corridor, media, and cultural initiatives aim not only to maintain existing cooperation, but also to structurally deepen it.[iii]Criticisms occasionally raised in Turkish public opinion regarding the limited solidarity from Central Asia on issues such as the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) have also been softened through this visit, making Kazakhstan’s diplomatic responsibility within the Turkic World more visible.
From the perspective of bilateral trade relations, the economic ties between Türkiye and Kazakhstan have gained significant momentum in recent years. In 2024, the trade volume reached 5 billion USD, while in the first five months of 2025, transactions amounted to 1.9 billion USD. Türkiye has become one of Kazakhstan’s top five trading partners; Turkish companies have invested 5.2 billion USD in Kazakhstan, completed 78 projects, and 3,538 Turkish firms are reported to be active in the country. On the other hand, Kazakhstan also reinforced reciprocal economic ties by making a record investment of 610 million USD in Türkiye during the first four months of 2025. When examining the sectoral distribution of trade relations, Kazakhstan exports copper, petroleum, and refined products to Türkiye, while Türkiye exports pharmaceuticals, textiles, and construction materials to Kazakhstan.
The deepening of economic relations in the field of energy plays a decisive role in the context of Eurasia’s strategic equations. In the meetings held between President Tokayev and President Erdoğan, the issue of increasing Kazakh oil exports through the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline came to the forefront. Although Kazakh oil exports via this pipeline rose by 12% in the first half of 2025, reaching 785 thousand tons, the technical inadequacies of the Aktau Port continue to limit this growth’s potential. In line with Kazakhstan’s goal to export 20 million tons of oil annually via the Trans-Caspian route by 2029, Türkiye’s role as an energy transit country is becoming increasingly strategic.[iv]
Conversely, Kazakhstan still remains largely dependent on Russia-centered routes for its energy exports. The Caspian Pipeline Consortium stood out in the first half of 2025 with a transport volume of 33 million tons, accounting for 83% of total exports, while exports via alternative routes remained below 6%. In this context, the 46% increase in exports to Germany, reaching 926 thousand tons, and the exploration of potential toward Hungary are noteworthy. However, exports to Iran remain impossible due to U.S. sanctions, and exports toward China declined by 26%, falling to 480 thousand tons. When this situation is considered alongside Türkiye’s geostrategic transit advantage and the reliability of alternative energy corridors, it places Türkiye-Kazakhstan energy cooperation in a much more critical position.
Cooperation in the field of the defense industry stands out as one of the fastest-growing dimensions of bilateral relations. The joint military exercises, peacekeeping trainings, and initiatives for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) production carried out in 2025 have elevated the level of defense integration between the two countries. Türkiye’s joint production projects with Kazakhstan involving the “Anka” and “Bayraktar” UAV models are significant not only for technological transfer but also for building regional deterrence. Cybersecurity projects and defense industry modernization efforts lay the groundwork for security cooperation adapted to the architecture of the digital age.
The proliferation of unmanned systems in Central Asia has led not only to the spread of military technologies but also to the emergence of strategic production chains circumventing international sanctions. Kazakhstan-based companies producing drones with components of Chinese and Iranian origin and labeling these systems as “domestic” before exporting them—particularly to Russia—highlight the political dimension of regional production networks. Claims that drones arriving in Kazakhstan from Kyrgyzstan were being exported for agricultural purposes have resonated in sources such as the Washington Post, while Russian media have alleged that these systems were used in bombardments in Ukraine. Although the Kazakh government has firmly denied these allegations, the emerging picture demonstrates that Central Asia is no longer merely a consumer but has transformed into a producer region that is part of global strategies.
The agreements signed in the field of transportation and logistics represent a concrete indicator of the joint efforts by Türkiye and Kazakhstan to transform the “Middle Corridor” into a globally strategic transit route. During President Tokayev’s visit, the cooperation agreement signed between Kazakhstan’s “Kazakhstan Temir Joly (KTJ)” and Türkiye’s “TCDD Taşımacılık A.Ş.” includes multifaceted objectives such as intensifying transportation on the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars route, increasing joint freight volumes on China-Europe and China-Africa connections, and implementing digital document systems.[v] As emphasized by Türkiye’s Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, this initiative strengthens not only technical capacity but also regional economic integration.
Cultural and societal-level cooperation constitutes the soft power components of the strategic partnership. In 2024, 863,000 Kazakh citizens visited Türkiye, while 130,000 Turkish tourists traveled to Kazakhstan, reflecting the level of people-to-people interaction. Additionally, 12,000 Kazakh students studying in Türkiye are laying the groundwork for intellectual convergence between the two countries. A special quota of 300 students supported by Turkish scholarships also demonstrates Kazakhstan’s investment in educational engagement with Türkiye.
When current data and existing trends are taken into account, it is highly likely that bilateral relations between Türkiye and Kazakhstan will evolve into a much deeper and more structured strategic partnership in the coming years. The joint projects initiated in the fields of defense industry, energy, and logistics indicate that the two countries are not merely trade partners, but are constructing a “strategic synergy axis” based on security and development. In particular, when Kazakhstan’s goal to reduce its energy dependence on Russia is aligned with Türkiye’s strategy to become an energy transit hub in Central Asia, new investments to be conducted via the BTC pipeline and the Middle Corridor will produce both economic and geopolitical outcomes.
The technology transfer realized through Türkiye’s Bayraktar and Anka platforms may centralize a broader defense network not only with Kazakhstan, but also with other Central Asian countries. These developments carry the potential to position Türkiye not only as a leading actor along East-West energy and security routes but also along North-South stability axes. In parallel with the current context in which China’s economic pressure and Russia’s influence in the region are being questioned, the structural convergence developing along the Türkiye-Kazakhstan axis could pave the way for the construction of a Türkiye-centered, multilateral power architecture in Eurasia.
This bilateral deepening will also produce critical outcomes for the OTS in terms of expanding institutional capacity and gaining operational functionality. The high-level coordination model established between Türkiye and Kazakhstan may enable the OTS to formulate joint policies in fields such as defense, energy security, digitalization, and transportation. In particular, the cooperation models developed in the defense industry could open the way for joint exercises, defense funds, and crisis management mechanisms within the OTS framework.
Kazakhstan’s more visible embrace of Turkic identity and its synchronization of its diplomatic stance on the issue of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) with Ankara could enhance the perception of political unity within the Turkic World. When Türkiye’s leadership capacity is combined with Kazakhstan’s geographical position and energy resources, the OTS may evolve not only into an organization of cultural solidarity but also into a decisive actor in the political and economic balance of Eurasia. This, in turn, may lead not only to the region’s integration into China- and Russia-centered blocs, but also to the emergence of an independent and multidimensional geopolitical identity centered on the Turkic World.
In conclusion, the relations between Türkiye and Kazakhstan have transcended historical ties to become a multi-layered, institutional, and geopolitical strategic partnership, reinforced through concrete projects in defense industry, energy security, transportation infrastructure, and cultural diplomacy. The growing economic reciprocity and defense-based technology transfer between the two countries contribute not only to bilateral cooperation but also to regional goals of stability, development, and political coordination under the OTS framework.
When Türkiye’s influence is combined with Kazakhstan’s natural resource wealth and its geostrategic location within Eurasia, the rise of a new Türkiye-centered geopolitical architecture encompassing not only East-West but also North-South stability axes appears increasingly feasible. In this context, the deepening strategic cooperation along the Türkiye-Kazakhstan axis will play a decisive role in transforming Central Asia from a buffer zone open to Chinese and Russian influence into a multipolar and functional power basin of the Turkic World.
[i] Aiman Nakispekova, “Kazakhstan, Türkiye to Deepen Strategic Ties at High-Level Council Meeting in Ankara”, The Astana Times, https://astanatimes.com/2025/07/kazakhstan-turkiye-to-deepen-strategic-ties-at-high-level-council-meeting-in-ankara, (Access Date: 31.07.2025).
[ii] “A New Level of Strategic partnership: What Astana and Ankara Agreed On”, Qazinform, https://qazinform.com/news/a-new-level-of-strategic-partnership-what-astana-and-ankara-agreed-on-0415a8, (Access Date: 31.07.2025).
[iii] Äsel Äbilbek, “Toqaevtıñ Türkïyağa Resmï Saparı: Strategïyalıq Seriktestiktiñ Jaña Kezeñi”, Baq, https://baq.kz/toqaevtyn-turkiyaga-resmi-sapary-strategiyalyq-seriktestiktin-zhana-kezeni-200018032/, (Access Date: 31.07.2025).
[iv] “‘Neobkhodimo v Tekushchikh Usloviyakh’. V Gosdume Prizvali Podnyat Kurs Dollara do 108 Rubley, Chtoby Pomoch Byudzhetu i Ekonomike”, Moscow Times, https://www.moscowtimes.ru/2025/07/29/neobhodimo-vtekuschih-usloviyah-vgosdume-prizvali-podnyat-kurs-dollara-do108-rublei-chtobi-pomoch-byudzhetu-iekonomike-a170189, (Access Date: 31.07.2025).
[v] “Turtsiya i Kazakhstan Namereny Uvelichit Propusknuyu Sposobnost Srednego Koridora”, Caliber, https://caliber.az/post/turciya-i-kazahstan-namereny-uvelichit-propusknuyu-sposobnost-srednego-koridora, (Access Date: 31.07.2025).