Foreign relations of the Republic of Tatarstan

International and interregional cooperation of the Republic of Tatarstan is carried out in close cooperation with federal authorities, within the framework of the unified foreign policy of the Russian Federation.

Tatarstan's economy is integrated into the system of global economic relations. About half of the republic's industrial products are exported.

The volume of foreign trade turnover of the republic in 2023 amounted up to 14.2 billion US dollars.

Since 2010, more than 8 billion USD has been attracted to Tatarstan as foreign investments. In 2023, the volume of funds incoming to the republic amounted up to 76.5 million US dollars. In 2023 and 2024 Tatarstan was marked as holding the second place in the national rating of the investment climate, right after Moscow.

Investment cooperation is successfully carried out on the territory of the Alabuga Special Economic Zone (SEZ), which rightfully has the status of the largest special economic zone of industrial production type in Russia.

As of the beginning of 2024, about 60 residents worked on the territory of the SEZ Alabuga, more than half of the enterprises are engaged in industrial activities. There is a growing interest in the Innopolis project, the second SEZ in Tatarstan, an all-Russian scale IT center and a new high-tech city. At the beginning of 2024 within the territory of SEZ Innopolis 333 companies operate – 130 residents, 59 partners and 144 startups. There are also 5 Territories of advanced socio-economic development, industrial and technological parks that operate within the republic, overall, about 100 industrial areas in total.

The republic actively participates in the Eurasian integration processes, develops strategic partnerships with the CIS, BRICS and SCO countries.

The city of Kazan has become a venue for hosting and organizing major international events.

In October 2024, the BRICS Summit was held in Kazan with the participation of the leaders of the BRICS member states, as well as invited participants. During the summit, the city of Kazan was visited by the heads and delegations of 36 countries and 6 international organizations. Out of the attendees of this remarkable event, 24 countries were represented by their leaders.

Tatarstan has the main platform for economic cooperation between the Russian Federation and the countries of the Islamic world – the International Economic Forum "Russia – the Islamic World: KazanForum", which has acquired federal status since 2023. In 2024, the forum was held for the 15th time with the total number of registered participants exceeding 20 thousand people from 87 countries of the globe and 87 regions of Russia.

In November 2024, Kazan hosted the II International Forum "ROSTKI (Sprouts): Russia and China – mutually beneficial cooperation", which was attended by more than 10 thousand people from 36 countries of the globe and 71 regions of the Russian Federation. Peoples Republic of China was represented by 27 regions.

Tatarstan's long-standing ties with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation are strengthening in the eastern direction.

On request of the President of the Russian Federation Mr. Vladimir Putin, under the chairmanship of the Rais (Head) of the Republic of Tatarstan, in 2015, the activities of the Strategic Vision Group "Russia – the Islamic World" resumed. The Group aims to unite the efforts of various countries and public institutions to counter the growing threats to international security based on the distortion of the basic tenets of Islam, as well as to expand economic, cultural and educational cooperation between Russia and the countries of the Islamic world. This cooperation includes interaction at the level of youth organizations. As part of the Group's action plan, dozens of public, scientific and religious forums and events are held annually in the Russian Federation and abroad. In 2022, Tatarstan celebrated the 1100th anniversary of the adoption of Islam by Volga Bulgaria.

Large–scale works have been carried out in the republic to revive the ancient city of Bolgar and the town-island of Sviyazhsk, the reconstruction of the historical center of the capital of Tatarstan was also carried out. In 2000, the Kazan Kremlin was inscribed into the UNESCO World Heritage List. In June 2014 – the Bulgarian Historical and Archaeological Complex also became the part of the UNESCO World Heritage List. In July 2017 the third nomination from Tatarstan was proved to be successful and the Assumption Cathedral and the monastery of the town- island of Sviyazhsk have joined the UNESCO World Heritage List as well. In September 2023 – the fourth nomination: Astronomical Observatories of Kazan Federal University were inscribed into the UNESCO World Heritage list.

Tatarstan has accumulated a wealth of experience in organizing international sports events. In 2013, the World Summer Universiade was held in Kazan with the participation of 12 thousand visitors from 160 countries of the world. Thanks to these Student Games held in Tatarstan, an outstanding infrastructure was created for the development of professional sports and providing the opportunity to run and organize sports competitions in a variety of sports on the highest international level.

The most significant international event for Tatarstan in 2015 was the FINA - World Aquatics Championships. About 2.6 thousand athletes from 190 countries participated in the event and the television audience exceeded 6.8 billion people worldwide.

In 2017, the FIFA Confederations Cup matches were held in Kazan. The capital of Tatarstan hosted 6 matches of the World Cup in 2018.

In 2019, the World Championship in working professions (WorldSkills) was held in Kazan. These working professions championship gave a strong impetus to the introduction of international standards for training personnel in working specialties.

In 2024, the capital of Tatarstan hosted the BRICS Sports Games, which were attended by over 5,000 people from 82 countries.

The constantly developing hospitality industry contributes to the dynamic development of inbound tourism. In 2023, about 4.2 million tourists visited Tatarstan.

In close coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia, Tatarstan cooperates with compatriots abroad, which has become one of the most important areas of the republic's foreign relations. Interaction and cooperation with compatriots living abroad and Tatar communities in the constituent entities of the Russian Federation are one of the most important areas for the development of external relations.

Large-scale projects are being implemented in Tatarstan to support national culture and language. Interaction with various target groups of compatriots is organized: business circles, youth, scientists, etc. Annually, with the support of the Republic of Tatarstan, about 80 Sabantuys are held abroad, in almost 30 countries around the world. The world educational literacy test "Tatar Dictation" has also become an annual event.

Since 2017, the regional state program "Assistance to the voluntary resettlement of compatriots living abroad to the Republic of Tatarstan" is being implemented. In 2023, about 180 Russian compatriots and 470 members of their families took part in the program.

The number of foreign students studying in Tatarstan is constantly growing.

As of October 2024, over 22 thousand students from more than 150 countries of the world are studying at Tatarstan universities.

The republic has a wide network of representative offices, including 11 foreign representative offices abroad and 8 in the regions of the Russian Federation. They all provide significant assistance in the development of Tatarstan's foreign and external relations.

The development of international relations is facilitated by diplomatic

and consular institutions located on the territory of Tatarstan: General Consulates of the Republic of Turkiye, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Republic of Kazakhstan, Hungary, the People's Republic of China, the Republic of Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, the Kyrgyz Republic and the Branch of the Embassy of the Republic of Belarus in the Russian Federation operate in Kazan.

The Government of the Russian Federation has decided to open the General Consulate of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Kazan. The opening the General Consulate of India in Kazan is also underway.

Within the interregional relations, the Republic of Tatarstan is developing cooperation with all regions of the Russian Federation. The top ten leading trade and economic partners of the Republic of Tatarstan include the Leningrad Region, the city of Moscow, the Moscow, Samara, Chelyabinsk regions, the Republic of Bashkortostan, the city of St. Petersburg, Sverdlovsk, Nizhny Novgorod regions and Perm Krai. The annual interregional trade turnover with the regions of the Russian Federation is about 500 billion rubles. Increasing the volume of trade and economic cooperation with Russian regions has become an important trend in recent years. The Republic of Tatarstan has signed agreements on trade, economic, scientific, technical and cultural cooperation with 82 regions of Russia.

The section is operated by the Department of External Relations of the Rais (Head) of the Republic of Tatarstan.

Official Tatarstan

Foreign relations of the Republic of Tatarstan