A delegation from Vivekanand International Foundation (VIF) visited Uzbekistan from 24th-31st August, 2017 for discussions with Uzbek Think Tanks. The visit took place immediately after a visit by a high powered Uzbek delegation to India led by Uzbek Minister for Foreign Affairs HE Abdulaziz Kamilov and Minister for Foreign Trade HE Mr. Elyor Ganiev on August 20-23, 2017. Track 2 dialogue would supplement official level interaction.

Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF) invited Amb. Peter Burian, European Union’s Special Representative for Central Asia, on February 10, 2017 to deliver a talk on EU’s perspective and strategy for Central Asia. His address was followed by a brief presentation by Amb. Ashok Sajjanhar, former Ambassador of India to Kazakhstan, on “India’s perspective on Relations with Central Asian Republics”. The event was chaired by Amb. D. P. Srivastava, former Ambassador of India to Iran.

Central Asia has a been of immense geopolitical significance for centuries, whether it was Tsarist Russia or Soviet Union and now the current world order after the demise of the Soviet Union, Central Asia continues to play an important role in the emerging power structures. The competition between various powers was earlier referred to as a Great Game which in some form or the other continues even till today. The appearance of five sovereign Central Asian Republics after the disappearance of the Soviet Union led to a strategic vacuum in the region.

India has ignored Central Asian Region for too long and it always looked at the region through Moscow opined Dr. Kashi Nath Pandita, an eminent intellectual and well known central Asian expert. He was delivering a talk on the subject ‘Iran and Central Asian Region in Indian Perspective: Prospects & Possibilities’ in Vivekananda International Foundation Chanakyapuri New Delhi. Beginning with the difference in perception among people about the identification of the area called Central Asian Region, Dr.