At the beginning of 2026, the chill in Almaty Oblast gradually dissipated, and in an exhibition hall of the "Innovative Technology Alatau" Special Economic Zone, a dialogue about the future of Kazakhstan's industries is heating up. Several robots on the exhibition stand, resembling toys in appearance, swayed flexibly, attracting the attention of visiting Kazakh Prime Minister Ozas Bektyanov. Behind these seemingly lightweight products is a major cooperation with a total investment of 44.8 billion tenge (approximately billions of dollars) aimed at the high-tech industry blueprint from 2025 to 2027.

This is not just a factory, but also a platform for technology localization and talent incubation, "said Yellan Nabiev, founder of NERO Group, the initiator of the project, to the Prime Minister. As Central Asian countries accelerate industrial diversification, Kazakhstan is seeing high-end manufacturing and robotics as key drivers of economic transformation. The cooperation with UBTECH Robotics, a leading Chinese robotics company, marks a substantial step forward for the country in the field of intelligent manufacturing.

Premier inspects the industrial ambitions behind the inspection

Beketnov's inspection focuses on the core of Kazakhstan's economic diversification strategy - high-tech manufacturing. In recent years, Kazakhstan has continuously reduced its dependence on resources such as energy and minerals, and has made the cultivation of engineering and technical talents and high-end equipment manufacturing a key direction. NERO Group plans to expand its production base within the economic zone to 21068 square meters. In addition to robot production, the project will also expand the localized production capacity of cables, components, and natural gas metering equipment, and enter emerging fields such as unmanned systems.

The project bears the dual responsibility of manufacturing and talent, "emphasized an official from the Almaty Oblast government." We hope to reverse drive the reserve of technical talents through industrial investment. "This idea is deeply integrated with the" Smart Energy "science and education cluster being promoted in Kazakhstan. This system introduces the German dual education model and is committed to cultivating local engineers to reserve a human resource foundation for industrial upgrading.

The first large-scale landing of robot production capacity

During this inspection, Bektenov focused on understanding the details of China Kazakhstan robot cooperation. NERO Group has signed an agreement with UBTECH Robotics to launch localized production of AI based educational and service robots. According to the plan, the project will first introduce an artificial intelligence laboratory with an annual production capacity of approximately 25000 sets of robot products.

UBTECH Robotics is a leading enterprise in the field of intelligent service robots in China, known for its humanoid robots and industrial intelligence solutions. The company plans to launch approximately 10000 Walker S2 robots by 2026 and has already entered the supply chain systems of companies such as BYD, Geely, FAW Volkswagen, and Foxconn. This cooperation means that its technology and production capacity have achieved large-scale landing in Central Asia for the first time, and also opens a window for Kazakhstan to enter the global robot industry chain.

Building a highland of "smart manufacturing" in Central Asia

The project particularly emphasizes the "industry feedback education" model. By collaborating to establish laboratories and training centers, Harbin students and engineers will directly participate in robot research and production practices. The local government stated that this move aims to address the shortage of high-tech talents and inject sustainable momentum into long-term industrial upgrading.

What we have introduced from China is not only equipment, but also a talent cultivation system, "Nabiyev revealed in an interview. This dual track approach of "manufacturing+education" is highly compatible with Kazakhstan's strategy of integrating science, education, and industry, and is expected to form a high-tech industrial cluster effect in Central Asia.

As the first locally assembled robot is about to go offline, Kazakhstan's manufacturing industry map is quietly being rewritten. From resource output to intelligent output, this robot road jointly paved by Chinese technology, Kazakhstan's resources and markets may become a new sample of industrial upgrading along the the Belt and Road.Editor/Yang Meiling