Central Asia
VIF Roundtable on India-Central Asia Relations | Summary of Discussions

India-Central Asia relations gained momentum in the recent past with Prime Minister Modi’s visit to the five Central Asian Republics in 2015 and India’s permanent membership to Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in 2017. During Prime Ministe....

COVID-19 in Central Asia: Responses and Resolutions

Introduction
Dealing with the coronavirus pandemic has become a serious challenge for countries across the globe. The virus has stressed public health systems worldwide and disrupted the global economy. The novel Coronavirus that emerged ....

Uzbekistan to become Observer of Eurasian Economic Union

Introduction
On March 6, the Uzbek government approved plans to apply for an observer status in the Russia led Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). The Cabinet forwarded the proposal to the chambers of the Oliy Majlis (parliament of Uz....

India-Central Asia Business Council: Reinvigorating India-Central Asia Economic Engagement

On 6 February 2020, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) along with apex industrial bodies of the five Central Asian countries launched the India-Central Asia Business Council. In his address, External Affairs Minister, ....

Mike Pompeo’s Visit to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan: What to Expect?

US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, will pay an official visit to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan from February 1-4, 2020. He will be chairing a meeting of the ‘C5+1 forum’ at Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Earlier, the visit was scheduled to take place in earl....

Kyrgyzstan in Political Turmoil

Kyrgyzstan, a small, landlocked and mountainous republic in Central Asia, is less known to the world because of its remote location and tiny population (about 6 million). The country borders China on the east and three Central Asian Republics (CARs) ....

Commentary: India Joins Ashgabat Agreement

Background India has recently joined the Ashgabat Agreement, which envisages creation of an International Transport and Transit Corridor connecting Central Asia with the Persian Gulf. This corridor is set to facilitate connectivit....

Russian, Chinese and American interplay in Central Asia and Afghanistan

India’s Interest in Central Asia In the evolving dynamics of the global order in the twenty first century there has been a fundamental shift in International Politics from Europe to Asia, and particularly to the huge Eurasian la....

Belt and Road Initiative: Implications for Central Asia

The Belt and Road Forum (BRF) sought attention of the international community and made headlines everywhere in mid-May. The event was organized by China in Beijing on 14-15 May 2017 with the purpose of promoting its ambitious project called the Belt ....

Kazakhstan: Emerging Player on the World Stage

Kazakhstan has assumed non-permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for the tenure of 2017-18. It is the first Central Asian Republic (CAR) to join this supreme body. Kazakhstan is a young nation that gained independence i....

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