India’s strategic engagement with Central Asia has gained prominence as a multitude of external powers have established their presence in the region. Central Asia, with its rich resources and geopolitical significance, has become a focal point for global powers seeking influence. In response to this evolving dynamic, India’s decision to join the Ashgabat Agreement in 2018 carries significant implications. The agreement, aimed at facilitating multimodal transportation and trade between Central Asia and the Persian Gulf, underscores India’s commitment to enhancing connectivity in the region. By participating in such initiatives, India not only strengthens economic ties but also bolsters its geopolitical standing. This move not only counters the influence of other external actors in Central Asia but also aligns with India’s broader vision of fostering connectivity, economic cooperation, and strategic partnerships in a region of growing importance to its national interests. The Ashgabat Agreement thus serves as a strategic tool for India to navigate the complex geopolitical landscape of Central Asia, asserting its role in shaping the region’s future.
Tag: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora.
Decoding the Question:
- In the Introduction try to start your answer with a brief introduction on India Central Asia relations.
- In Body,
- First, discuss the Ashgabat Agreement.
- Second, discuss the significance of the Ashgabat Agreement.
- In Conclusion, try to end your answer by asserting that this agreement is opening up a great prospect for India.
Answer:
In a quest for global supremacy, Central Asia has become a part of the ‘New Great Game’ between regional and world powers. Being rich in energy and mineral resources, it acts as a transit corridor for regional and global trade. Also, control over the Central Asian hinterland provides strategic supremacy over peripheral regions such as the Persian Gulf.
Ashgabat Agreement: A multimodal international agreement aiming at the establishment of a Transport and Transit Corridor between Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Oman, and Iran and enhancing connectivity within the Eurasian region. The Ashgabat Agreement envisages the facilitation of transit and transportation of goods between Central Asia and the Persian Gulf. Accession to the Agreement would diversify India’s connectivity options with Central Asia and have a positive influence on India’s trade and commercial ties with the region.
Significance of Ashgabat Agreement-
- It would enable India to utilize the existing transport and transit corridor to facilitate trade and commercial interactions with the Eurasian region. Further, this would synchronize with India’s efforts to implement the INSTC for enhanced connectivity. It encompasses ship, rail, and road routes connecting India with Russia, Central Asia, and Europe via Iran.
- India’s share in Central Asia’s total trade is only about one percent. Only by improving transport connectivity can the prospect of commercial ties with the region be enhanced.
- By joining the Ashgabat Agreement would make it easier for India to reach out to Central Asia which houses strategic and high-value minerals including uranium, copper, titanium, ferroalloys, yellow phosphorus, iron ore, rolled metal, propane, butane, zinc, coking coal, etc. Kazakhstan alone wants to increase its non-oil exports by 50 percent by 2025. And, without direct transport access, India cannot procure the Central Asian riches needed for its manufacturing economy.
Therefore, the Ashgabat Agreement acts as India’s doorway to Central Asia, thereby, providing accessibility for trade, energy security, and strategic balance to global power politics. Thus, India’s joining of the Ashgabat Agreement will open up a greater prospect for India.
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