On this blog, we have discussed India's increasing economic and strategic presence in Central Asia. The reasons for this are many, as are the implications for the region. I have written a short piece describing and analyzing this geopolitical occurrence for the Foreign Policy Association that you can find on its homepage. Here is the intro:
As India's political and financial powers grow, the nation will attempt to use its newfound leverage to spread and defend its interests regionally and worldwide. This changing policy can be witnessed by India's recent diplomatic and strategic movements in Central Asia. In the past few years, the Indian government has increased its contacts with the region's leaders, become an observer to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), set up its very first military base in a foreign nation, Tajikistan, and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Turkmenistan regarding major gas procurements. India's growing interest in Central Asia and the prospects and challenges for its present and future engagement in the region will be an intriguing geopolitical event to watch. Also of interest is what the Central Asian states have to gain in such a relationship and what India's growing regional influence means to U.S. interests and policy in the region.
Let me know what you think?