India - Central Asia foreign policy

 Constructive strategic partnership

Connect Central Asia Policy 

Importance of Central Asia

• Strategic - Heart of Asia ;Place for Great Games; Russia - Strategic Backyard; USA - Greater Middle East ;China - Far West ;India’s extended neighborhood 
• Resources- Oil, Gas, Uranium, Hydro-power.
• Extended neighborhood of India with which we have a trade of $1 Billion.($50 billion of China)

---

Opportunities in Central Asia 

• Geo-economic 
• Not only economics but Imp for Geo-economics 
• Strategically positioned as an access point b/w Europe and Asia
• Richly endowed with natural resources like crude oil, natural gas, gold and uranium 
• IT, education, Tourism, Bollywood, Assistance in power generation
• Geo-political and
• Mackinder : Who ever controls Central Asia control the world
• Geo-strategic
• Developing strong defence ties and military coop
• Prevent radicalization 
• Counter-terrorism drills
• Military exercises - Khanjar and Prabal Dostyk
• Chabhahar, INSTC(India, Afghanistan, Russia, Iran, Europe, central Asia), Ashgabat Agreement (Persian gulf + Central Asia), All these projects boost connectivity. ITEC benefitting CAR students,

---

Since Sept 11 and GWOT - New Great games have started 

• Each country has its vested interests 
• Any major development will impact India’s external and internal security 
• Sensitive region from India’s perspective

Evolution of India-CA relations 

• Diplomatically a latecomer
• Historical and deep cultural linkages 
• P2P
• Trade and commerce  
• Cold war
• Good diplomatic linkages with a consulate in Tashkent 
• 1995 - Narsimha Rao - Look North Policy -But he couldn't focus due to domestic compulsions. Rest Govt ignored.
• Challenges
1. Involved in it immediate neighborhood - Pak 
2. Absent in Regional security infra
3. Unstable Afghanistan and problematic relations with Pak - deprived India - direct contact with CA
• Not a reliable path for trade and commerce 
4. Lack of a direct sea route to India 
5. China 
• Marginalized in Econ sphere 
• Emerged as China’s sphere of influence 


• 2010- London conference on Afghanistan was setback to India, Now realized the importance of CA.
• 2012 - E. Ahmed(MEA) —> Connect Central Asia Policy launched - Based on 5Cs- Culture, Commerce, Connectivity, Consulate, Civil society
• Revive stagnated relations 
• Energy : 
• Oil, natural Gas
• TAPI Pipeline  
• Nuclear : Uranium 
• Markets :
• Advantage of Energy resources and Markets 
• Air connectivity to boost trade and tourism 
• Culture : India’s soft power 
• Universities 
• Hospitals 
• IT - Tele-medicine and Tele-education 
• Defence 
• Joint scientific research 
• Strategic partnerships in defence and security affairs 
• Prevent Radicalization —> Limit Pak Influence 
• Not under exclusive Chinese influence 
• Current State 
• PM Modi - Tried to revive the relations. visited all 5 countries 
• CRM - High Octane diplomacy 
• India’s full membership in SCO
• India invited by Putin as chief guest at Eurasian economic council -EEU 

Current Scenario - CCAP  - Connect central Asia policy.

• No material trade 
• India invest in IT sector - Tele-Edu and Tele-medicine 
• P2P contact - Education and research 
• Military Exercises - Khanjar, Prabal Dostyk

Way Forward 

• Radical extremist winds - Nurture peace
• India - soft power - Indian movies and music - leverage it
• CCAP is a holistic policy not just about oil and natural resources but cooperating in multiple fields - game changer if realized in practice 

---

---

Individual Countries 

• Kazakhstan can help power our nuclear reactors 
• Uzbekistan oil exploration ventures can help India reduce the cost of oil imports 
• Turkmenistan - Help in India’s energy security through TAPI Pipeline 
• Kyrgyzstan help with green technology and agriculture 

---

Advantages of SCO 

• Boost to India’s CCAP
• Energy Markets
• Bilateral —> Multilateral arrangement 
• Soft Power 
• Recognition of India as a stakeholder in Peace and security of the nation 
• Address terrorism 
• Engage with Pak on a wider regional setting —> Future - may push for overland access 
• Necessary step to balance India’s maritime strategy with Continental 
• Address Afghanistan security  
• Not under exclusive Chinese influence 
• RATS

CRM  SCO Limit damage from Sino-Pak and Sino-Russian Alliance  Limit the negative dialectics of India  Play both in the heartland and the rim land	Kanwal Sibal  India is In SCO But should not forget S in SCO stands for Shanghai	Conclusion Though there is not much understanding with China, SCO can be used constructively