SCO is providing India platform to widen its engagement with Central Asia
In
Log in if you are already registered
SCO is a prominent Eurasian grouping to ensure peace, stability, and security in the vast and resource rich region stretching from the borders of Europe to the Pacific, including China, Russia and Pakistan.
India hosted SCO’s latest summit held virtually earlier this week where Iran became the ninth member of the grouping.
Source: Reuters
SCO member countries collectively represent 40% of the world’s population and contribute about 30% of the global GDP.
India’s strengthening ties with Central Asian states has grown by leaps and bounds over the last few years notwithstanding the pandemic.
When these countries attained independence after the disintegration of the Soviet Union in 1991, India was among the first countries to recognise these republics diplomatically.
Now, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan are members of SCO.
The Central Asian Region (CAR) holds an important position in India’s geostrategic outreach and is part of the country’s ‘extended neighbourhood’.
India’s partnership across the region focuses on a wide range of areas including security, counterterrorism, energy security, trade and investments, connectivity and infrastructure, and people-to-people ties.
India and CAR countries face common challenges pertaining to terrorism, extremism and drug trafficking.
However, the potential of economic cooperation between India and Central Asia remains largely untapped, with trade figures currently hovering around a modest $2 billion, people cited above said.
Sectors such as information technology, pharmaceuticals, and tourism are witnessing increasing trade and investment between India and CAR states.
Energy trade is also a key pillar of connection between India and Central Asia. CAR has abundant reserves of valuable resources including oil, natural gas, and minerals including uranium.
New Delhi has embarked on an ambitious initiative to develop robust infrastructure and foster seamless trade networks to help bridge the gap between CAR and global markets and unlock the vast untapped potential of the region.
International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) connects India to Central Asia, Russia and parts of Europe.
As a signatory to the Ashgabat Agreement, India actively contributes to the facilitation of a multimodal transport and transit corridor, linking Central Asia with the Persian Gulf including Oman.
India's strategic investment in the development of the Chabahar port along the Persian Gulf in Iran has garnered substantial attention. The port plans to connect into the INSTC framework.
Turkmenistan has also expressed interest in including Turkmenbashi Port in INSTC, expanding the region's transportation infrastructure.
Medical tourism to India and Indian students studying medicine in Central Asian countries have bolstered soft power. For example, Uzbekistan offered 2,000 medical seats for Indian students in its medical universities.
As a leader in digital technology, India can help CAR states in their initiatives such as the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Digital Strategy 2030 to scale and enhance digital literacy in the region.
India has been pushing its ‘Connect Central Asia Policy’ and has extended a $1 billion credit line to the region to enhance trade, investment and capacity-building partnerships with priority development projects in energy, healthcare, connectivity, IT, agriculture, education and other areas.
The maiden India-Central Asia Summit organised in 2022 was a milestone in boosting strategic partnerships with countries in the region.
This growing relationship will get a fillip with the recently announced Astana International Forum, which envisages as a new global platform for dialogue and cooperation.
(The article originally appeared in The Economic Times, July 8, 2023. Dipanjan Roy Chaudhury is the Diplomatic Affairs Editor, The Economic Times)
Diplomatic Affairs Editor, The Economic Times
Blog: Dipanjan Roy Chaudhury's Blog
Rating: 0
