External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar hosted the 4th India-Central Foreign Ministers dialogue, which took place after more than three-and-half years.

India–Central Asia Foreign Ministers’ Dialogue

• The India–Central Asia Dialogue is an annual multilateral meeting of the Foreign Ministers of India and the five Central Asian Republics (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan). 
• It serves as the main institutional framework for steering the strategic partnership.

Major Outcomes of the 4th Dialogue

• Counter-Terrorism & Security: Strong condemnation of the Pahalgam terror attack (April 2025).

• • Call for the UN Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT).
  • Regular NSA-level meetings (Next in Kyrgyz Republic).
• Trade & Economic Cooperation: Focus on boosting trade in pharma, IT, agriculture, energy, textiles.
  • Push for trade in national currencies and digital payment systems.
  • Joint Working Group (JWG) proposed for banking/financial ties.
• Connectivity Projects: 
  • INSTC Expansion: India backed Turkmenistan & Uzbekistan’s membership.
    • Kazakhstan developing the eastern INSTC branch.
  • Chabahar Port: Central Asia to use it for trade via Shahid Beheshti Terminal.
• Digital & Energy Partnerships: India Stack for Central Asia’s digital transformation.
  • India-Central Asia Digital Forum (1st meet in Uzbekistan).
  • Critical Minerals: 2nd Rare Earth Forum planned; joint exploration.
• Climate & Sustainability: Support for International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation (2025).
  • Backing Kazakhstan’s UN SDG Hub in Almaty.
• Multilateral Engagement: Central Asia endorsed India’s UNSC permanent seat bid.
• • SCO collaboration praised (India hosted 2023 Summit).
  • India invited Central Asian nations to join the International Solar Alliance (ISA), Global Biofuels Alliance (GBA), Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) and International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA).
• Cultural & Youth Ties: Tajikistan to host 2nd Culture Ministers’ meeting.
  • Focus on student exchanges & welfare.
• Afghanistan: Supported a peaceful, terrorism-free Afghanistan. Praised Uzbekistan’s Termez hub for UNHCR aid delivery.
• Future Steps: 2nd India-Central Asia Summit in 2025.
  • Next Dialogue in 2026.

What is Central Asia?

• Central Asia is a landlocked region in the heart of the Eurasian continent, traditionally comprising five post-Soviet republics:

Geographical Characteristics

• Borders: Surrounded by Russia (north), China (east), Iran and Afghanistan (south), and the Caspian Sea (west).
• Terrain: Includes vast steppes, deserts (e.g., Kyzylkum, Karakum), and high mountain ranges (e.g., Tien Shan, Pamirs).
• Water Systems: Home to the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers, once feeding the now-depleted Aral Sea.

Significance of Central Asia

• Geostrategic Significance: Strategic location at the heart of Eurasia — Central Asia acts as a land bridge between Europe and Asia.
  • Critical for India’s Extended Neighbourhood Policy and regional influence amid China’s BRI and Russia’s presence.
• Energy Security: Rich in natural gas (Turkmenistan), uranium (Kazakhstan), and rare earths (Uzbekistan).
  • Supports India’s diversification via TAPI pipeline and long-term energy cooperation.
• Connectivity & Transit: Central to INSTC and Chabahar Port access to bypass Pakistan.
  • India supports Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan’s membership in INSTC.
• Security & Stability Partner: Shared goals in counterterrorism, anti-extremism, and drug trafficking control.
  • Frequent NSA-level consultations and joint military exercises (e.g., DUSTLIK, KAZIND).
• Technology & Digital Diplomacy: India exporting Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and India Stack tools.
  • Launch of India-Central Asia Digital Partnership Forum (2025).
• Multilateral Support & Global South Coordination
  • Strong backing for India’s permanent UNSC membership.
  • CARs joining India-led platforms like ISA, GBA, IBCA, CDRI; engaged in DAKSHIN for South–South cooperation.
• Soft Power and Diaspora: Bollywood, Indian cuisine, and culture are hugely popular in Central Asia.
  • Indian diaspora in CARs contributes to business and cultural integration.
  • Yoga, traditional medicine, and classical dance form the core of India’s soft power push.

Key Bilateral Highlights

India–Kazakhstan

• Strategic Partnership since 2009.
• Nuclear Energy: Major supplier of uranium to India (Kazatomprom–NPCIL agreements).
• Defence:
  • Annual joint military exercise: KAZIND.
  • Kazakhstan participates in UN peacekeeping drills with India.
• Connectivity: Kazakhstan advancing eastern corridor of the INSTC; active in the Ashgabat Agreement.
• Trade & Economy:
  • Bilateral trade in 2023–24: approx. USD 1.1 billion.
  • Indian exports: pharmaceuticals, tea, machinery.
  • Indian investments in oilfield services, IT, and infrastructure.

India–Uzbekistan

• Strategic Partnership since 2011.
• Defence: Exercise DUSTLIK (2024 edition held at Uttarakhand).
  • Active defence cooperation via joint working groups.
• Education & Culture: Indian universities: Amity, Sharda, Acharya in Andijan and Tashkent.
  • ICCR Chairs, Hindi language, and yoga classes popular.
• Trade & Economy:
  • Bilateral trade (2023–24): approx. USD 470 million.
  • India Exports: pharma, mechanical appliances, chemicals.
  • Strong push for investment in textiles, agri-processing, renewable energy, and ICT.
  • Uzbekistan interested in joining INSTC; hosted 1st India–Central Asia Digital Forum in 2025.

India–Turkmenistan

• Energy Focused: Origin of the TAPI gas pipeline (delayed due to Afghanistan).
• Political Engagement:
  • President Kovind visited Ashgabat in 2022.
  • Cultural diplomacy: Inauguration of India Room and Tagore statue.
• Connectivity: Joined INSTC in 2023; India supporting its integration fully.
• Trade & Economy:
  • Bilateral trade (2023–24): approx. USD 132 million.
  • India’s exports: pharmaceuticals, electronics, textiles, tea.
  • India exploring maritime connectivity via Chabahar for Turkmenistan’s cargo.

India–Tajikistan

• Geostrategic Value: Borders Afghanistan; closest CAR to India.
• Defence & Development: India operates India–Tajik Friendship Hospital, assists in hydropower.
  • Indian firms active in power transmission (e.g., BHEL, Kalpataru).
• Trade & Economy:
  • Bilateral trade remains modest (~USD 65 million).
  • Tajikistan exports dry fruits, aluminum; India exports pharma, machinery.
  • India providing technical assistance in rural health, education, and disaster response.

India–Kyrgyzstan

• Launchpad of India’s Connect Central Asia Policy (2012).
• Education: Several Indian students in medical universities; ITEC scholarships.
• Security Cooperation: Kyrgyzstan to host 3rd India–Central Asia NSA consultation.
• Trade & Economy:
  • Trade (2023–24): approx. USD 47 million.
  • India exports: pharma, chemicals, tea, cosmetics.
  • India is investing in dairy, IT services, energy transmission.

Key India–Central Asia Initiatives

• Connectivity & Trade Corridors
  • International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC): India supports Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan joining INSTC.
    • Kazakhstan developing the eastern branch to enhance trade flow.
  • Chabahar Port Integration: First India–Central Asia Joint Working Group on Chabahar met in Mumbai (April 2023).
    • Promotion of TIR Carnet system to ease cargo movement.
  • Ashgabat Agreement: India and all 5 CARs are parties; promotes multi-modal transport networks.
• Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) Collaboration: Central Asia to adopt India Stack tools (e.g., Aadhaar-like ID, UPI systems).
  • Launch of India–Central Asia Digital Partnership Forum.
    • Uzbekistan to host the inaugural meeting.
• Science, Innovation & Rare Earths: Cooperation in space, innovation, and digital technologies.
  • India–Central Asia Rare Earth Forum:
    • First meeting in New Delhi (Sept 2024).
    • 2nd forum planned to expand on critical mineral partnerships.
• Capacity Building & ITEC Expansion: Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme scaled up:
  • Areas: IT, English language, governance training.
  • Programmes on drug law enforcement, countering terror financing held in 2024–25.
  • DAKSHIN (Global South Centre of Excellence): New platform for development knowledge exchange with Central Asia.
• Security & Counterterrorism: NSA-level consultations institutionalized:
  • Next round to be hosted by Kyrgyz Republic.
• Environment & Sustainable Development: Participation in:
  • Glacier Preservation Conference (Tajikistan, 2025).
  • Five-Year Action Plan on Mountain Development (2023–27).
  • UN SDG Hub launched by Kazakhstan in Almaty.

Challenges in India–Central Asia Relations

• Lack of Direct Physical Connectivity: No land border between India and any Central Asian country.
  • Pakistan blocks overland access to Central Asia.
  • Projects like INSTC and Chabahar Port are still in partial or slow implementation phase.
  • Air connectivity remains limited, expensive, and largely indirect.
• Low Bilateral Trade Volumes: Combined trade with all five CARs is under USD 2 billion, which is very low compared to potential and compared to China’s trade (over USD 50 billion).
  • High logistical costs, tariff barriers, and lack of banking/payment infrastructure inhibit trade growth.
  • Absence of Free Trade Agreements and complementary product portfolios further limits expansion.
• China’s Strategic Dominance: China is the top trading partner and infrastructure investor in all CARs through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
  • Chinese projects like CPEC, railroads, and energy pipelines are far more entrenched.
  • India’s approach is seen as slow-moving and policy-heavy, lacking Beijing’s aggressive financing and turnkey execution.
• Security Instability in the Region: Terrorism spillover from Afghanistan threatens regional stability.
  • Drugs, arms smuggling, and radicalization are persistent threats.
  • India lacks direct border proximity and hence cannot play a hard-security role like Russia or China.
  • Example: TAPI pipeline is stalled due to insecurity in Afghanistan.
• Bureaucratic and Political Hurdles: CARs have authoritarian regimes, with opaque regulatory frameworks.
  • Indian companies face challenges in setting up business, obtaining licenses, or navigating non-transparent procurement systems.
  • Language and legal barriers also affect smoother bilateral engagement.
• Limited People-to-People Contact: Despite civilizational ties, cultural diplomacy remains underleveraged.
  • Tourism, student exchanges, and academic cooperation are far below potential.
• Financial and Banking Disconnect: No direct banking or financial settlement system exists between India and CARs.
  • Difficulty in trade finance, remittances, and currency convertibility.
  • Proposal for Joint Working Group on Financial Connectivity (2025) is still in exploratory stages.
• Underutilization of Multilateral Platforms: Though India and CARs are part of SCO, CDRI, ISA, IBCA, synergy and actionable projects are still in the planning phase.
• • India’s capacity to deliver large-scale infrastructure or regional connectivity projects is limited by lack of institutional follow-through and bureaucratic delay.

Way Forward for India–Central Asia Relations

• Fast-track Connectivity Projects: Accelerate full operationalization of INSTC and Chabahar Port.
  • Prioritize multimodal corridors, customs digitization, and TIR Carnet expansion.
  • Support Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan’s INSTC membership through trilateral and multilateral diplomacy.
• Secure Long-Term Energy & Critical Mineral Agreements: Fast-track TAPI pipeline negotiations post-Afghan stabilization.
  • Finalize joint exploration and processing of rare earths under the India–Central Asia Rare Earth Forum.
  • Ensure reliable long-term uranium supply agreements with Kazakhstan.
• Build Robust Financial and Trade Infrastructure: Establish the India–Central Asia Joint Working Group on Financial Connectivity.
  • Promote rupee settlement, digital payments, and interbank linkages to ease trade flows.
  • Push for B2B facilitation via ICABC and joint chambers of commerce.
• Export India Stack and Digital Governance Models: Roll out Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) pilot programs in willing CARs.
  • Position India as a tech partner of choice over Chinese infrastructure-based digital authoritarianism.
  • Use the India–Central Asia Digital Partnership Forum as a multilateral tech platform.
• Expand Human Capital and Skill Development Cooperation: Scale up ITEC scholarships, vocational training, and medical fellowships.
  • Support Indian university campuses in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan.
  • Introduce new joint R&D initiatives in AI, biotech, agri-tech.
• Enhance Security Cooperation and Counterterrorism Dialogue: Institutionalize NSA-level consultations and intelligence sharing.
  • Joint training for drug law enforcement, cybersecurity, and deradicalization strategies.
  • Use SCO and bilateral formats to monitor Afghan spillover threats.
• Deepen Cultural and Civilizational Diplomacy: Strengthen Indian Cultural Centres, Sanskrit chairs, and youth exchanges.
  • Organize India–Central Asia Culture Ministers’ Meet regularly (next in Tajikistan).
  • Leverage shared Sufi, Buddhist, and Mughal heritage for people-to-people bridges.

Conclusion

The 4th India-Central Asia Dialogue, marked by the Pahalgam attack condemnation and a 3.5-year gap, reinforces India’s strategic engagement with CARs through connectivity, trade, and security initiatives. Sustained efforts in INSTC, Chabahar, and soft power will counter regional challenges and elevate India’s influence.

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