Until recently, a few books have been published on the history of Central Asian Khanates of Khiva, Bukhara, and Kokand. In his book, Levi C. Scott, a professor of Central Asian history at Ohio State University, focuses on the historical significance of Khanate of Kokand in a broader Eurasian context. The chapters in the book outline the formation of the Khanate of Kokand and subsequent socio-political and economic developments, which paved the way for its decline.

Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF) organised a Round Table Discussion (RTD) on ‘India-Central Asia Relations’ on 23 January, 2020. Dr. Arvind Gupta, Director VIF, delivered the opening remarks followed by a key note address by Amb. Pankaj Saran, Deputy National Security Advisor, Govt. of India. Mr. Manish Prabhat, Joint Secretary (Eurasia Division, Ministry of External Affairs) also delivered his remarks on India-Central Asia relations. Ambassadors of five Central Asian Republics along with Ambassador of Islamic Republic of Iran made presentations in the RTD.

The Central Asian Region gained wider recognition in International Relations after the disintegration of the Soviet Union in 1991. The emergence of five independent nation-states in the heartland of Eurasia was, in fact, a matter of curiosity for the world community. At the same time, there were apprehensions about political stability, territorial integrity and economic viability of the Central Asian Republics (CARs) of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. In 1990s, considerable empirical research was conducted on the politics, history and society of the CARs.

The Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF) hosted an interaction with a visiting Delegation from Uzbekistan, led by Mr. Sodyq Safoev, First Deputy Chairman of the Senate of the Republic of Uzbekistan. The Delegation also included Mr. Akmal Burkhanov, Director, Development Strategy Center, Tashkent and H.E. Mr IIhomjon Nematov, Ambassador at Large of the Ministry of Foreign affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan. The senior-level delegation was accompanied by H. E. Farhod Arziyev, the Ambassador of Uzbekistan to India.