Response to chinese brands: Kazakhstan considers launching its own car brand

Tengrinews.kz – Rustam Karagoishin, Chairman of the "Baiterek" Holding, revealed that Kazakhstan is considering the production of cars under a domestic brand. To make this vision a reality, the holding has signed a memorandum with the Malaysian company Proton.
At a government briefing, Karagoishin shared that the holding and Proton are working on creating a joint venture in Kazakhstan with the participation of local automakers. The plan is to establish a full-fledged cluster for the localization of car component production.

"We are talking about a Kazakh brand, that's what we're discussing. If the car is produced here, it will naturally carry a Kazakh brand," he said.

Karagoishin also mentioned that "Baiterek" is negotiating with Proton for deeper technological involvement from the company.

"We hope this won’t just be a partnership; Proton will actually invest technologically, and we are in talks on that front," he added.

The head of the holding emphasized the importance of increasing localization in Kazakhstan, especially given the growing presence of Chinese brands in the market.

"You can see the progress Chinese brands have made, and certain European brands have practically lost out to them. That’s why we are working in this direction to maximize localization in Kazakhstan," Karagoishin noted.

Discussions are ongoing about the brand and name of the future car, but no final decisions have been made, he added.
It is worth mentioning that 2025 was a record year for Kazakhstan's automotive industry, with the country producing and selling more new cars than ever before.