India and Central Asia in the Post-Cold War Era : Security, Economic and Socio-Cultural Dimensions

Abstract

This book analyses the evolution of India’s foreign policy towards Central Asia after the end of the Cold War.

Focusing on the development of India’s foreign policy towards Central Asia between 1991 and 2020, this book investigates the explanatory and intervening variables of the policy towards the region to identify its goals, assumptions, motivations and instruments. The preliminary assumption is that India’s foreign policy towards Central Asia has evolved after the Cold War from a passive approach to an active participant in Central Asian security, economic and socio-cultural spheres. This is also seen due to the emergence of the five Central Asian countries as independent states, which have a tremendous strategic significance due to their geographical location, huge hydrocarbon reserve and potential economic opportunities. India expanded its policy to the ‘Extended Neighbourhood,’ adding East, Central and West Asia to the existing South Asian neighbourhood. Since then, India has been engaging with the region considering the growing geostrategic and geo-economic significance of the region and using the available foreign policy instruments. This book presents a comprehensive assessment of India’s foreign policy behaviour evolution with proper analysis of the explanatory (external) and intervening (internal) variables that influence India’s behaviours towards the region. It shows that India also aims to be a very influential power in Central Asia.

This book will be an excellent resource for students and researchers of area and global studies, international relations, Asian Politics and South and Central Asia.