visit and the Kyrgyz Republic (August 31–September 1) for the 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of State Summit.
- India's focused engagement with Central Asia began with the “Connect Central Asia” policy (2012) and received a major boost when PM Modi became the first Indian Prime Minister to visit all five Central Asian republics in 2015.
Central Asia: India's Extended Neighbourhood
- India's five Central Asian partners are Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan; India considers the region part of its extended neighbourhood.
- Central Asia is strategically located between Russia, China, Afghanistan and the wider Islamic world, making it important for India's security and geopolitical interests.
- The region is witnessing growing competition for strategic influence, particularly from China and Russia, creating both opportunities and challenges for India.
Economic and Resource Potential
- Kazakhstan: Major reserves of uranium, along with coal, lead, zinc, gold and iron ore.
- Kyrgyz Republic: Significant gold and hydropower resources.
- Uzbekistan: Rich in gold, uranium and natural gas.
- Turkmenistan: Possesses one of the world's largest natural-gas reserves.
- Tajikistan: Significant hydropower potential.
- These resources provide opportunities for India to strengthen energy security, mineral supply chains and trade.
Strategic and Security Significance
- Central Asia forms the northern boundary of the broader Islamic world; instability following the Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan raises concerns over terrorism, radicalisation and possible regrouping of the Islamic State.
- India seeks greater security cooperation and intelligence coordination with Central Asian states to address terrorism and instability emanating from Afghanistan.
- China has expanded its regional presence through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI); India seeks to prevent excessive Chinese strategic dominance in its extended neighbourhood.
- The Russia–Ukraine conflict has further complicated regional geopolitics and could create new strategic and economic openings for India as Central Asian states diversify their external partnerships.
Connectivity Challenge: Pakistan Factor
- India's biggest structural obstacle in accessing Central Asia is the lack of direct overland connectivity, primarily because Pakistan does not provide India transit access.
- India therefore seeks to use Iran's Chabahar Port and integrate it with the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) to reach Central Asian markets.
- Improved connectivity can facilitate trade, energy access and India's broader strategic presence in the region.
Energy and Connectivity Opportunities
- India has interests in Central Asian energy resources, including Kazakhstan's uranium and Turkmenistan's natural gas.
- The proposed Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan–India (TAPI) gas pipeline could provide another potential route for regional energy cooperation, though security and geopolitical constraints remain major obstacles.
- Connectivity through Chabahar and the INSTC can reduce India's dependence on Pakistan for access to Central Asia.
Civilisational and Cultural Connect
- India has centuries-old cultural links with Central Asia, including through Buddhism and the Kushana period.
- Kara Tepa near Termez, Uzbekistan, contains an important Buddhist monastery and reflects the historical spread of Buddhism from India into Central Asia.
- Hindi and Uzbek reportedly share nearly 3,000 words, while culinary similarities include ghee–sariyok, samosa–samsa, naan–non and pulao–pilaf.
- Such historical and cultural links provide a foundation for India's people-to-people diplomacy and soft power.
India–Uzbekistan Economic Engagement
- India is among Uzbekistan's top 10 trading partners.
- Bilateral trade stood at approximately $1 billion in 2025–26, indicating substantial scope for expansion.
- India has also sought deeper political engagement; in January 2022, New Delhi invited Central Asian leaders as guests for the Republic Day celebrations.
China and the Strategic Competition
- China's BRI investments have significantly expanded its economic and strategic footprint in Central Asia.
- China is geographically better positioned than India and has greater capacity for infrastructure investment, creating a risk of India losing strategic space.
- At the same time, Central Asian countries may seek to balance China and Russia by diversifying partnerships, creating space for India's engagement.
Russia–Ukraine War and Regional Churn
- Central Asia has traditionally been closely connected to Russia, with around 20–30% of the population in parts of the region being Russian-speaking/ethnic Russian and strong historical ties.
- The Russia–Ukraine conflict has increased uncertainty and may accelerate efforts by Central Asian states to diversify economic and strategic partnerships.
- Inflows of Russian capital and skilled people into Central Asia could benefit local economies but may also create social and political tensions.
Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)
- India has been a full member of the SCO since 2017.
- The SCO currently has 10 members: India, Belarus, China, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
- It also has 15 Dialogue Partners and 2 Observers—Mongolia and Afghanistan.
- The SCO+ format brings together SCO members with dialogue partners, observers and other invited states/international organisations, providing India an additional platform for engagement with Central Asia and the wider Eurasian region.
Way Forward for India
- India should deepen security cooperation, economic engagement and resource partnerships with Central Asian republics while avoiding an exclusively China- or Russia-centric approach.
- Accelerating Chabahar–INSTC connectivity, expanding trade and investing in critical minerals can help overcome India's geographical disadvantage.
- India's strategy should combine strategic engagement, connectivity, energy security, development partnerships and civilisational diplomacy to consolidate Central Asia as a genuine component of its extended neighbourhood.
