Current Affairs 2022: Significance of the First India-Central Asia Summit

By Priya Sen Gupta

The summit is perceived as an achievement for India to enhance its footprint in the Central Asian region. 

India and a few Central Asian countries held the inaugural India-Central Asia Summit on January 27, 2022, in a virtual format. The summit was hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and was attended by the Heads of State of the five Central Asian countries. The members in attendance were; Presidents of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Republic of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Republic of Uzbekistan. The summit also coincided with the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Central Asian Countries and India. This Summit happened two days after the China-Central Asia Conference, which was similar in nature. China has promised 500 million USD to encourage trade and assistance to these countries. 

Takeaways from the India-Central Asia Summit? 

• Trade: Although India has always been successful in maintaining excellent diplomatic relations with all the five Central Asian states, India’s trade with them has only been  USD 1.4 billion in FY 2018-2019. Several Indian Prime Ministers have visited these nations to further strengthen ties, including PM Modi. India has also joined the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in 2017 to be able to engage better with the region. But the SCO is only a floodgate to attempt to regulate the Russian and Chinese phrenic rivalry and attempt to prevent either of the two powers from dominating the Central Asian regions. Russia has also been trying to use the SCO for regulating tensions between India and China.

• Security: The summit is a gateway for India’s soaring diplomacy. The Central Asian region is the backbone of India’s security policy, the summit will have a great effect on the attempts to facilitate India’s multifaceted approach toward the Central Asian region. The Summit was the beginning of dialogues between India and the Central Asian countries namely Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan. All of these nations attained their independence after the USSR collapsed in 1991 and after the Cold war had ended. Every country participating in the diplomatic conversations except for Turkmenistan is also a member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). The dialogue is focused on an array of issues including ways to improve connectivity and help stabilise the situation in Afghanistan.

• Geo-Political Dynamics: The summit is a symbolic act of importance primarily attached by the Indian leaders and that of the Central Asian countries to cultivating a global and abiding India-Central Asia partnership. The increasing tensions between Russia and the West especially the United States of America is a grave concern. India has also had to face severe tensions amid border disputes with China and the Afghanistan takeover by the Taliban. The dialogue between Indian Diplomats and Russian President Vladimir Putin during his Indian visit has helped balance the scales with China in Eurasia and suppress the threats from Afghanistan. The unrest in Kazakhstan recently gives one an insight into the probable power play by the newcomers though their motives remain unclear. 

• Cultural and Civilization Linkages: There are close cultural and civilisational linkages between India and Central Asia but there hasn’t been much focus on this issue of cultural integration from both sides. With consideration of the importance of the historical ties shared among the nations, all the leaders agreed that they’ll have regular meetings between the culture ministers to increase cooperation on this link. To celebrate the linguist similarities between India and Central Asian Nations, India has proposed to commission a ‘Dictionary of Common Words used in India and CARs’. The nations have further agreed on organising a Buddhist Exhibition to showcase the Buddhist ties among themselves.

• Pandemic Cooperation: The cooperation shown during the Covid-19 pandemic is an excellent example of the strong linkages in health sectors amond India and all Central Asian Nations. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has emphasised on ‘One Earth One Health’ approach to ensure affordable and equitable access to health care facilities/supplies, which all other participating leaders also lauded. This accessibility is crucial in fighting situations like the pandemic. The United Nations General Assembly’s Resolution on strengthening transportation links to ensure reliable and stable transportation of resources during and after the pandemic is crucial to note. 

• Capacity Building and Human Resource Development: The Central Asian leaders have greatly applauded India’s assistance in capacity building and human resource development in the region. India has offered the highest number of Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) slots and Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) scholarships to the youth of all Central Asian Nations, which can be increased with respect to these countries’ requirements. India has also offered professional training programmes for the diplomats from the Central Asian Regions, to substantiate institutional cooperation.

• Sustainable Development and Climate Change: India and Central Asia share climate change related concerns. All the countries have pledged to reduce carbon emissions and focus on the development of alternative energy resources. Although, there is still scope for improvement on matters pertaining to disaster management and green recovery.

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About the author

With a master's degree in environmental science, Priya Sengupta found her true calling in words and stories. A passionate writer, avid reader and a dog parent, she spends her me-time reading Bengali literature and listening to soulful music.