PM Modi's Central Asia tour brings region back into focus

Six days, five nations. Given the geographical contiguity of the five countries in Central Asia, it was judicious for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit them in a back-to-back trip to bring to the forefront the region’s strategic importance for India.

Central Asia not only has historical connections with Delhi but also has contemporary goodwill. Each of the five countries — Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan — have a natural affinity towards India built on Soviet legacy. While Indologists are sought after in Uzbekistan, the most populous country of the region, love for India in the region’s biggest republic Kazakhstan is palpable on the streets of its capital Astana.

Besides Bollywood, Hindi TV soaps are growing in popularity. Learning Hindi is also on the rise.

But nearly a quarter-of-a-century after its 'independence from Soviet Russia', Delhi has not developed on these relationships to take them to the next level of partnership.

There is a common Islamic heritage of both India and Central Asian countries that rejects extremist ideology. It would be wise for New Delhi, in this context, to promote its soft power to embrace the region more closely by opening more cultural centres beyond the existing three.

Abundance of natural resources in countries like Kazakhstan is not the only reason that India is thinking of beefing up its relations with Kazakhstan and the other four Central Asian republics. Close security ties and related geopolitics of the region have also influenced Delhi to look at the region closely. Cross-border terrorism and the rapid growth of the Islamic State (IS) have emerged as common threat.

Slowly but steadily, India's defence ties with the region are on rise. Not many are aware that there is a defence attache in each of Indian embassies of the five Central Asian republics. Joint exercises have been quietly conducted with some of them. The recentlyconcluded defence agreement with Kazakhstan has the potential to become a far-reaching comprehensive security partnership.

It was imperative that an Indian prime minister visits all the five countries, some of which have limited international engagement, for India's power projection in a region where China has made deep inroads by pumping money, laying railway lines, pipelines and building roads.

And India's full membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation will allow it to position itself at an advantageous position as a regional player. The landlocked Central Asian republics have wanted India to play a larger strategic role for a while now. India's support for Kabul, as well as safeguarding its own strategic interests, could be better served by a larger Indian presence in some of these countries that share direct borders with Afghanistan.