India-Central Asia Dialogue
Abstract
The Indian economy has several chances and difficulties in the twenty-first century. As the fifth-largest economy in the world, India has now surpassed the United Kingdom; the threats to our national security have multiplied and are now being faced from several angles. According to current United Nations statistics, India's population will overtake China's in 2023. This puts a lot of work on our capable leaders' desks to create a comprehensive plan for engagement on several fronts to diversify and assure resilience of its supply chains. Following its independence, India has taken a proactive stance in the world for the same reason—to diversify its supply chains. However, India will need to reflect on its lack of involvement in Central Asia if it is to become a "Viswa- guru" or world leader. The question of relations between India and Central Asia is not new. Numerous elements of the two regions' culture, civilization, and intellectual history show that they did not evolve separately but rather evolve through mutually growing cultures. But now, Central Asia is important to India from a geopolitical and economic perspective as well as from a civilizational and historical one. This region is crucial because of the strategic importance of the Central Asian countries. One country that has acknowledged this is India. India is making an earnest effort to forge new connections with Central Asian countries. India has important geostrategic and economic interests here. There appears to be a huge opportunity for cooperation between India and Central Asia in the field of energy security. India's energy strategy will be significantly dependent on fresh energy supplies from Central Asia in the next years. However, the geographical connections between Central Asia and the Middle Eastern nations, Afghanistan, and Pakistan also provide security concerns for our relations with the Central Asian nations. The Central Asian region still has the potential to be beneficial for the Indian economy and security system. If we want to leave a larger footprint in Central Asian countries, India's diplomacy and military-to-military activities must coincide. Lack of effective connection alternatives has been the main obstacle in relations between India and Central Asia. My research has touched on a few topics to help with the 21st century's connection problems. The historical and modern patterns of Indian, Chinese, and other significant forces in the region, as well as their interconnections in Central Asia, will be covered in this study. This study aims to analyse the security implications of radicalised Central Asia's terrorist footprints on India's security, identify engagement gaps, and suggest potential solutions for deeper Indian footprints in Central Asian territory. It also examines recent trends in relations between India and Central Asia through the lens of the India-Central Asia Dialogue. The paper has been supported with the statistical data taken from the ministry of commerce.
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