Why Central Asia needs to rediscover India

The first ever India Central Asia virtual summit took place on January 27. What was to have been an in-person summit -- the leaders of the five Central Asian countries were to have been the chief guests at India's 73 republic day celebrations yesterday—was cancelled apparently due to Covid 19 resurgence.

However, what is more plausible is that the recent uprisings in Kazakhstan put a spanner in India's plans. Not only did it shake the Kazakh political elites but it also spooked neighbouring countries with the scale of the protests and the large-scale violence. But even a virtual summit is important and significant. 

It not only accelerates India's Connect Central Asia policy, mooted first in 2012, but builds upon the India-Central Asia Dialogue initiated in 2019, and the recent regional security meeting of national security advisors of India, the five Central Asian Republics (CARS) - Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, along with those of Iran and Russia.

Uzbek analysts D. Kurbanov and Sh. Khoshimova have called it a milestone, coming as the summit did, to mark 30 years of independence of the CARS. The summit is set to be institutionalised, and the next is slated to be held in 2024. Big plans are afoot and Central Asia is clearly the flavour of the season. But while much of the focus has been on the significance of the region for India, equally India is also important for the region.

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