India Narrative

The unfolding situation in Afghanistan will have wider ramifications to the Central Asia region, particularly the possible growth in international terrorism and drug trafficking emanating from the Afghan territory, India told the Security Council during a debate on the United Nations' partnership with the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) in New York, earlier today. Russia had made the meeting as one of the flagship events of its UNSC Presidency this month with its Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin chairing the debate. It was also addressed by the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, CSTO Secretary General Stanislav Zas, representatives of the CSTO member states besides several other countries. Putting up a united front with the Central Asia partners, India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador T S Tirumurti during his remarks stated expectations of the international community that Afghan soil should not be used for sheltering, train...

A momentous step to significantly reinforce partnership between India and Central Asia was taken at the First India-Central Asia Summit hosted by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the Presidents of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, in a virtual format on January 27.   A highly ambitious and visionary Delhi Declaration was issued at the conclusion of the Summit. Some of the major areas identified for enhanced focus include trade and investment, connectivity, development cooperation, including capacity building, security and defence, culture and people to people contacts. The most consequential decision taken at the Summit is to institutionalise the framework for India-Central Asia cooperation at a regional level and to hold Summits every two years. The next Summit will hence be held in 2024. Such summit meetings in future are likely to take place in person and not through the virtual medium. This will provide opportunity to the leaders...

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 ...

The first India-Central Asia Summit will take place in a virtual format on January 27. India is the only country to host such a Summit with Central Asia. It is a path-breaking initiative with potential to significantly enhance the vibrant partnership that India enjoys with the five Central Asian states. The virtual format was adopted as Plan-B as it was no longer possible to host a face-to-face summit with the Presidents of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, who were to be the joint chief guests during the January 26 Republic Day celebrations. However, the rapid spread of the highly transmissible Omicron variant of the coronavirus proved to be a formidable obstacle in the realisation of this plan. The Indian government needs to be warmly complimented that it is going ahead with this initiative to organise a virtual Summit rather than jettison the idea. India-Central Asia Relations The salience of Central Asian countries has grown significantly, for In...