Updated on Monday, April 07, 2008, 00:00 IST

Astana, April 07: India on Monday sought Kazakhstan's help to ensure its energy security as the two countries agreed to enhance bilateral trade and economic cooperation.

"We held discussions on means of increasing bilateral trade and expanding the areas of economic cooperation, particularly in the hydrocarbon sector," Vice President Hamid Ansari said after delegation level talks with his Kazak counterpart Kassym Jomart Tokayev.

The parleys saw Kazakhstan extending its support for India's membership in an extended UN Security Council with Tokayev hailing New Delhi as a "reliable partner" of Astana in international fora.

Kazakhstan, the biggest of the CIS countries after Russia, is among the top ten countries in terms of hydrocarbon energy reserves as also mineral resources including uranium.

The Kazak leader said the two sides had reached an agreement on setting up a friendship group.

Khazakhstan has been consistently supporting India's representation in an expanded UNSC.

"Greater economic engagement between India and the countries of the Central Asian region is not only mutually beneficial for the countries but also for the whole region and the world," Ansari, who also met Kazakhstan Prime Minister Karim K Massimov, said addressing the Kazakhstan Senate.

Describing Central Asia as, "our extended neighbourhood," he said with the economies of India and Kazakhstan registering impressive growth, there are "wide ranging opportunities" to expand areas of economic cooperation.

The Vice President also expressed India's readiness to cooperate in the higher education sector by sending Indian professionals here and training Kazakh students and professionals in various disciplines in India.

Bureau Report