External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj praised the Kazakh people for their warmth in welcoming the Indian diaspora as she interacted with the Indian community living in the Central Asian country. Swaraj is on a three-nation tour to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan as part of India's efforts to boost strategic partnership with the resource-rich nations.

She today arrived in Kazakhstan, India's largest trade and investment partner in Central Asia, after a brief transit halt in Turkmenistan. Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said in a tweet: "Meeting our very own away from home in her first engagement since arriving in Astana! EAM @SushmaSwaraj in her address to the Indian community: I have been told that Astana is the second coldest capital of the world but the warmth of Kazakh people do not let you feel this chill!"