Executive Summary
This report provides an assessment and overview of India’s foreign relations with the Central Asian Republics (CARs) based on an established new kind of platform as well as special relations in security, climate change, ICT, and trans-terror.
In the 21st century, both India and the CARs are the most significant to focus in the field of geopolitical, geostrategic, geo-cultural, trade and commerce, connectivity, development and so on.
This situation prompts two pivotal questions: First, how is India creating a revised model of engagement in Central Asia, moving from bilateral to multilateral cooperation by way of a new multilateral platform? Second, what are the outcomes of India’s foreign policy with the CARs in the last two decades?
Key Takeaways
- India can increase its influence in Central Asia through Russia and the United States’ help, military modernisation, a soft power strategy, enhanced security, and proactive policies like the Connect Central Asia policy (since June 2012).
- India’s regional engagements in Central Asia reflect a strategic balancing act between major powers like Russia, China, and the United States.
- Energy security and regional connectivity thanks to the INSTC and the Chabahar Port are the key factors behind India’s attempts to reconnect with Central Asia.
Background and Context
India and Central Asia have a long history of interaction, especially through Buddhism, Sufism, and the Silk Road trade. However, India has been prompting soft power diplomacy by reviving civilizational links with Bukhara and Samarkand.
The newly independent Central Asian republics (CARs) presented India with prospects for diplomatic, energy, and economic collaboration after the Soviet Union broke up in 1991. Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi signed 22 sector-wide agreements during his visit in July 2015 of all five CARs.
India’s primary strategy is centered on importing energy and resisting threats from Afghanistan’s instability and terrorism. India’s civil nuclear energy program is fuelled by uranium imported from Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.
The rise of China and the Taliban’s resurgence (since August 2021) encouraged India to seek other ways to communicate. In order to prevent the Pakistan-Afghanistan pathway, India supported the building of Chabahar Port and joined the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC).
In an effort to strengthen political, security, economic, and cultural ties, India announced the Connect Central Asia Policy in June 2012. Uzbekistan (2011), Tajikistan (2012), and Kazakhstan (2009) all inked strategic partnerships and collaborations.
Though, India offered Central Asian infrastructure, energy, and agricultural projects a US$1 billion Line of Credit in October 2020. In Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, funds are facilitating agri-modernisation and renewable energy initiatives.
To improve e-governance in CARs, India has been promoting its Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), which includes Aadhaar and Digi Locker. Collaboration on identification technology and data systems is encouraged through the India–Central Asia Digital Partnership Forum in June 2025.
While India provides technical support to help the region’s Universal Health Coverage (UHC) systems be developed. India pledged to assist in the design of healthcare systems in CARs and also to promote the economic activities and private investment through India–Central Asia Business Council. The India–Central Asia Development Group, formed in 2019 through India’s initiative, aims to accelerate collaboration in financial services, medicine, and the digital economy.
To share development practices with the Global South, India started the Development and Knowledge Sharing Initiative, or DAKSHIN. Through DAKSHIN, CARs have partnered with India’s Global South Center of Excellence in June 2025.
Geopolitical Scenario
The changing geopolitical environment in the Eurasian region, Iran and the US nuclear confrontation, the Taliban resurgence in Afghanistan, narcotics trafficking, India and Pakistan terrorism issues affect the relations of India and Central Asia.
From enduring cultural ties to contemporary strategic alliances, India’s connections with Central Asia have changed over time. India has the opportunity to recast its strategy through a development-centric lens under the India–Central Asia Dialogue as a result of recent changes in changing regional dynamics, such as Iran’s membership into the SCO and BRICS plus.
India established many multilateral platforms such as India and Central Asia Dialogue, India and Central Asia summit, India and Business Council because, Central Asia’s vast reserves of oil, natural gas, and uranium, from this perspective, the energy security is the most important component to India.
The geopolitical balance and maintaining strategic autonomy of India in Central Asia, has been appearing a crucial because of the environment of great power competition such as, China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Russia’s traditional sphere of influence, U.S. military interest post-9/11, and Turkey’s cultural diplomacy.
In this context, India’s engagement with Central Asia is a strategic imperative, not just a diplomatic choice. Reconnecting with the region through multi-vector regional engagement, while navigating the geopolitical landscape, is crucial for energy security, strategic depth, and regional influence. With sustained focus, pragmatic partnerships, and leveraging multilateral institutions, India can emerge as a key player in Central Asia once again.
Indicators to Monitor
- Development of India’s soft power approach and international decision-making process in climate change, and the international community.
- New multilateral engagement of India with CARs appears a new dynamic, policy oriented and mutually respectively.
- Paradigm shift from India’s bilateral cooperation to multilateral cooperation highlights a new vision, focus on connectivity, trade development and people to people contact.
- Geopolitical context, the emerging power of India at the international leadership and community, space sector, regional connectivity.
- The vision of India’s foreign policy with CARs are based on the natural and energy, which emphasis security interest and geopolitical implications.
Conclusion
The developing geopolitical landscape and the reconnection of India with Central Asian nations are growing through the CARs, focusing on culture, capabilities, connectivity, cooperation, and credibility, highlighting the need for stronger engagement in the future.
The Government of India under the leadership of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a primary focus on promoting the national interest, foreign direct investment, economic interest, energy security and regional connectivity and stability.
As global power dynamics shift from a unilateral world to a multilateral world, India’s proactive diplomacy and investment in soft power can strengthen its foothold in the Central Asian region. A sustainable, multidimensional partnership between India and Central Asia can contribute significantly to regional integration, economic resilience, and a balanced multipolar world order.
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