NEWS HIGHLIGHT
Theme : International Relations
Paper:GS-2
National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval recently hosted a meeting of his counterparts from five Central Asian countries — Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan — in New Delhi.
TABLE OF CONTENT
- Context
- About the Meet
- Central Asia Region
- Trade Efforts
- Connectivity
- Importance of Central Asia for India
- Obstacles for India
- Road Ahead
Context : National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval recently hosted a meeting of his counterparts from five Central Asian countries — Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan — in New Delhi.
About the Meet :
- Central Asia is seen as the northern boundary of the Islamic world.
- With the Taliban’s return in Afghanistan, the threat of radicalism and possible regrouping of the Islamic State poses a serious security challenge for the countries in the region.
- From the security perspective, the NSAs discussed the challenges of extremism, terrorism, and radicalisation in the region.
- NSA said financing is the “lifeblood” of terrorism, and countering it should be a priority.
Central Asia Region :
- Central Asia is a region in Asia that stretches from the Caspian Sea in the west to China and Mongolia in the east, and from Afghanistan and Iran in the south to Russia in the north.
- It includes the former Soviet republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
Trade Efforts :
- India’s trade with the five Central Asian Republics—Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan—was below $ 2 billion in 2018.
- The potential areas for collaboration include construction, sericulture and pharmaceuticals to IT and tourism.
- Much of this trade was routed through Iran, Russia or the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Connectivity :
- Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan–India (TAPI) Gas Pipeline
- Development of Iran’s Chabahar Port
- Zaranj-Delaram Highway
- International North-South (Transit) Corridor (INSTC)
Importance of Central Asia for India :
- Russian backyard: Central Asia has always been seen as Russia’s backyard — some 20-30% of the population is of Russian origin, and Russian is spoken widely.
- Fossil fuels: While Central Asia is seen as fuel-rich and, hence, important for an energy-starved India.
- Mineral richness: Central Asian states are also mineral-rich, and Kazakhstan, for one, has been a source of uranium for India’s nuclear power plants.
- Market for India: A country like India which is seen as a major economy has to have a presence in these markets. INSTC also offers a safe and cost-effective route to the EU (European Union) market.
- Convergence against Terrorism: India can forge a common position on terrorism and radicalization, which is a matter of concern to the region as much as it is to India.
Obstacles for India :
- China’s opportunism: China’s trade with Central Asia was $50 billion-$60 billion in the same period. The obvious advantage in China’s favor is geographical proximity.
- Lack of mutual trust: Unfortunately, many connectivity options are not open to them today due to the lack of mutual trust.
- Pakistan factor: Tensions with Pakistan mean there is no viable land route towards Central Asia.
- Iran and the US sanctions: Efforts to look for a circuitous route via Iran (and Afghanistan) have stalled due to US sanctions on Iran.
Road Ahead :
- India needs to develop stronger trade and commercial bonds which will be possible once the INSTC crystallizes.
- The road ahead in the short term is difficult as India doesn’t seem to have any real leverage to get the connectivity projects with Central Asia going.
FAQs :
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What is the Central Asian Region?
ANS. Central Asia is a region in Asia that stretches from the Caspian Sea in the west to China and Mongolia in the east, and from Afghanistan and Iran in the south to Russia in the north.It includes the former Soviet republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
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Mention various projects of the Central Asian Region.
ANS.
- Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan–India (TAPI) Gas Pipeline
- Development of Iran’s Chabahar Port
- Zaranj-Delaram Highway
- International North-South (Transit) Corridor (INSTC)