Kazakhstan boosts defense spending

ASTANA. KAZINFORM - The country has increased its defense spending to 1% of its GDP for this year, Kazinform correspondent reports.

According to Sultan Kamaletdinov, the Deputy Defense Minister, Kazakhstan backs domestic makers when planning to purchase arms and military equipment.

Answering the questions of journalists in the Senate, the Kazakh deputy defense minister said that the country's army was replenished with new aircraft as well as air defense systems, and other means last year as part of the weapons upgrade.

He went on to add that the country has increased its defense spending to 1% of the GDP for this year.

Kamaletdinov said that the country's Constitution bans private structures in the defense sector to ensure its security, adding that there is no legislative base and need for that.