Page 11 - The Indian EYE 090426

OPINION SEPTEMBER 04, 2026 | The Indian Eye 11

Mirziyoyev met on the sidelines of and deepen engagement with Cen-
the BRICS Summit in Kazan in Oc- tral Asia. This would benefit Central
tober 2024 and the COP-28 meeting Asian countries and other partner
in Dubai in December 2023. PM nations.
Modi travelled to Samarkand, Uz- To take full advantage of the
bekistan for the SCO Summit in Sep- emerging opportunities for partner-
tember 2022. The two leaders also ship in Central Asia, India should ap-
held a bilateral virtual Summit in De- point a Special Envoy for the Region
cember 2020 and signed nine MoUs who can reach out to the concerned
spanning defense, digital technology, authorities in the region at the ap-
energy and development aid. propriate level, and also expedite de-
As mentioned above, the Uz- cision-making in India.
bek FM visited India in early Au- Taking action on the above has
gust 2026 and in addition to meeting the potential to provide an early,
his counterpart called on President much-needed, significant fillip to the
Droupadi Murmu, Speaker of Lok strategic and vital partnership be-
Sabha Om Birla to establish an In- tween India and Central Asia.
dia–Uzbek Parliamentary Friendship
Group, and participated in the In- Conclusion
dia–Uzbekistan Business Forum to here is immense alignment of
promote further cooperation in crit- views and positions on most
ical minerals and mining, Digital Pu- Tregional and global issues be-
bic Infrastructure, pharmaceuticals, tween India and Central Asia. Some
agriculture, health care, transport of these include peace and stabili-
logistics, renewable energy, etc. He ty in Afghanistan; rapid promotion
had visited India for the Raisina Di- The last five years have witnessed appreciable interaction and exchange of visits between of Connectivity (INSTC and Cha-
alogue in January 2020, as well as for leaders of India and Central Asia, particularly of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan (File photo) bahar); counter-terrorism; climate
the Third and Fourth India–Central change; technology and innovation;
Asia Dialogues in December 2021 renewable energy; trade and invest-
and June 2025. partnership with it. To realize this, when the second India–Central Asia ment; security and defense, etc. India
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitha- India and Central Asia will need to Summit might take place. This needs
raman visited Tashkent for the AIIB significantly augment their collabo- to be taken up and implemented can share its expertise in IT, digital
public infrastructure, health, edu-
meeting in September 2024, during ration across multifaceted areas, viz. urgently, with an in-person Summit cation, start-ups, the space industry,
which a Bilateral Investment Treaty political, official, security, business, held in India at the earliest. Ade- textiles, the leather and footwear
was signed. Connectivity through the scientific, technological, health, edu- quate preparations would need to industry, gems and jewelry, tourism,
INSTC and Chabahar, the export of cation, cultural, think tanks, and oth- be made for this to provide a strong pharmaceuticals, counter-terrorism,
uranium to India, and bilateral de- ers, both at the bilateral and regional impetus to bilateral and regional ties. anti-radicalization, and much more
fense exercises are significant aspects levels. Several other decisions were with the Central Asian countries.
that bind India to Kazakhstan and Kazakhstan: India entered into taken at the Summit in 2022, i.e., Once suitable connectivity is estab-
Uzbekistan. Significant interactions a Strategic Partnership with Kazakh- creation of an ‘India–Central Asia lished, the region could meet India’s
at the ministerial level have taken stan in 2009 when the then Kazakh Parliamentary Forum’; implemen- energy security needs for oil, gas,
place between India and Tajikistan, President Nursultan Nazarbayev vis- tation of High Impact Community hydropower, and other resources, in
and between Kyrgyzstan and Turk- ited India as the Chief Guest on In- Development Projects (HICDPs) in addition to uranium, which India is
menistan, in recent years. dia’s Republic Day. No subsequent Central Asian countries; utilization importing from Kazakhstan and Uz-
India and Central Asia have, visit by the Kazakh Head of State to of US$ 1 billion Line of Credit an-
however, not yet realized the full India has taken place in more than nounced by India in 2020 for infra- bekistan.
There are empathy, warmth and
potential of their partnership, which 17 years. It is imperative that a vis- structure development in Central trust between the people of India and
is dictated by the rapid transforma- it, preferably bilateral and not for Asian countries, and more. Action Central Asia. There is no fear, dis-
tion of the global and regional order, a multilateral event, be organized on all these decisions should be ex- trust, or threat perceived from India,
India’s significant economic growth without any further delay. pedited. unlike with some other neighbors in
and expanding international influ- India–Central Asia Summit 2.0: Although all countries of Cen- the region. The future holds huge
ence, and the trust, confidence and At the time of the first India–Central tral Asia need to be given due impor- potential for a much brighter and
mutual respect between these coun- Asia Summit in January 2022, it was tance, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan more robust relationship between
tries. agreed that the Summit relationship merit special focus—Uzbekistan India and Central Asia, at both the
Starting with PM Modi’s visit to be institutionalized and that the next because it has a large economy, has
the region at the end of August 2026, Summit be held in two years. During the largest population in the region government and people-to-people
levels, and at both the bilateral and
India will need to inter alia look at his meeting with the visiting foreign and has emerged as the most proac- regional levels.
the following aspects to bring rela- ministers of Central Asia during the tive among the Central Asian states
tions between India and Central Asia fourth India–Central Asia Dialogue to expand partnership with India; Views expressed are of the author and
to an appropriate level of dynamism in New Delhi in June 2025, PM Modi and, Kazakhstan because it has the do not necessarily reflect the views of
and intensity: said that he looked forward to meet- largest territorial area in the region, the Manohar Parrikar IDSA or of the
In the midst of growing geo- ing them at the next Summit. In the is bestowed with significant mineral
political turbulence, Central Asia Joint Declaration issued on this occa- resources, and is the largest economy Government of India.
has been looking for partners other sion, it was mentioned that the next of the region. The full version of this article first ap-
than Russia and China to engage Summit would take place at a mutu- It would be mutually benefi- peared in the Comments section of the
with. India eminently fits the bill as ally convenient date in 2025. Today cial for India to collaborate with oth- website (www.idsa.in) of Manohar Par-
there is no threat perception that we are more than halfway through er like-minded countries like the US, rikar Institute for Defense Studies and
Central Asia harbors from enhanced 2026, and there is no indication of Japan, Europe, etc., to strengthen Analyses, New Delhi, on August 27, 2026

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