Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of Tables and Figures
- Foreword
- Preface
- List of Abbreviations
- Section I Policy and Institutional Framework
- Section II Country and Regional Case Studies
- 4 Nepal: Evolving Framework and the Success of Communities
- 5 New Vigour in Africa: Ethiopia and Mozambique
- 6 Entrepreneurship Development in Laos and Cambodia
- 7 Exploring Niches in CIS: Experiences in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan
- Section III Summing Up
- Bibliography
- Index
7 - Exploring Niches in CIS: Experiences in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan
from Section II - Country and Regional Case Studies
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 March 2016
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of Tables and Figures
- Foreword
- Preface
- List of Abbreviations
- Section I Policy and Institutional Framework
- Section II Country and Regional Case Studies
- 4 Nepal: Evolving Framework and the Success of Communities
- 5 New Vigour in Africa: Ethiopia and Mozambique
- 6 Entrepreneurship Development in Laos and Cambodia
- 7 Exploring Niches in CIS: Experiences in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan
- Section III Summing Up
- Bibliography
- Index
Summary
In the early 1990s, India was one of the first to establish diplomatic relations with most of the countries that had emerged from the Russian Federation to form the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). The political associations with the new CIS countries gave a further fillip to their bilateral ties with India, which were already natural enough, given the shared linguistic and cultural heritage that enriched India's long-standing relations with many of them. With the turn of new millennium, India further consolidated its connections with most CIS countries.
Several studies have identified a growing concern with energy supplies as the prime driver behind the expanding Indian footprint in this resource-rich region. Discussions with several experts in these countries, however, indicate that geo-strategic considerations are far more important to India. For instance, Tajikistan shares more than 1,000 km of largely porous border with Afghanistan and also shares a border with the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK), as does China. India therefore has to pay serious attention to the activities of China and Pakistan in this region and in particular, closely monitor responses from Afghanistan when NATO forces eventually move out. Delhi has already stated more than once that its priority is to ensure that Afghanistan emerges as an economic and commercial bridge between South and Central Asia; only peace and prosperity can prevent its becoming a hub of terrorism and extremism.
Against this backdrop, it is hardly surprising if development cooperation priorities are closely connected to bilateral commitments with both development and strategic motivations. Indeed, in some cases it seems that it is strategic considerations that have driven at least some components of major assistance programmes to the region. In the recent past, however, India has consolidated its engagement into a pan-regional approach, more or less on the lines of its policy in Africa. Various features of ‘development compact’ have also emerged in the past few years as India plans to connect with the countries of Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan) in what appears to be a ‘Connect Central Asia’ policy.
As part of this policy India has begun to set up a Central Asia e-network with its hub in New Delhi and spokes in the five Central Asian capitals.
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- Chapter
- Information
- The Logic of SharingIndian Approach to South–South Cooperation, pp. 161 - 174Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2015