Dialogue January-March, 2013, Volume 14 No. 3
Book Review:
India and Central Asia: Two Decades of Transitions*
Govind Kumar Inakhiya**
The five Central Asian Republics (CAR) all Muslim majority countries, came into existence after the disintegration of Soviet Union in 1991. After getting independence, these Republics are in the process of developing western type of liberal and participatory democracy and free market economy. This book “India and Central Asia: Two Decades of Transitions” published by the Oxford University Press in 2012 and edited by Prof P L Dash, an eminent expert on Central Asia, is an attempt to evaluate the progress of these nations in last 20 years. The book is divided into 14 chapters addressing the different aspects of this region and to understand the problems faced by these nations’ post- independence period. It includes issues such as nation building, identity, security, political & economic issues, food security, terrorism, India-Central Asia relations, U.S. interest in Central Asia, role of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO), river politics, ethno-cultural issues etc.
Chapter 1 explores India and Central Asia relations in the historical, cultural, economic and geo-political contexts. Close historical links in ancient times and relative lack of contacts during the middle ages and current renewed vigour since Independence (1991) have been adequately discussed. The chapter highlights the Indian interests in the region driven by energy and security concerns. Mutual political and economic interests of the five CAR countries, with the SCO provides window on interests of Russia, China and other regional powers in the region.
* Published by the Oxford University Press in 2012 and edited by Prof P L Dash,
**Reviewed by Dr. Govind Kumar Inakhiya, Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, Deshbandhu College, University of Delhi, New Delhi -19
Chapter 2 Explores the Trans-Asian route which was named as the Silk Road in 1877 more in historical context than in contemporary period to regain the old commercial and economic objectives.
Chapter 3 addresses the problems of connectivity in fractious and adversarial relations between India-Pakistan and the need of improvement to actualise the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) and Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) pipelines in the background of unstable borders and uneasy relations.
Chapter 4 details problems of India-Central Asia energy co-operation in the background of lack of physical connectivity and unstable political realities in furthering the economic relations.
Chapters 5, 6 and 7 comprehensively cover the aspects of the power play and rivalries of the United States, Russia and China through SCO and air bases and how these affect the security paradigm of the region. These also highlight the common threats of terrorism and big power competition for its energy resources, impacting its security. In brief, the dilemmas of CAR countries in the background of geo-politics and rivalries for attention of energy rich Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan have been covered effectively. Indian efforts to get economic and energy linkages have also found coverage. These chapters also detail the internal politico-economic strategies of the CAR countries to achieve growth and connectivity.
The remaining chapters respectively reflect upon the problems of nation building, mutual and intra-state rivalries and efforts at resolutions in CAR countries (Ch 8); Water rivalries (Ch 9) and issues of cultural identities and the challenges of integration (Ch 10). Chapters 11, 12 and 13 bring out effectively the nation building challenges facing Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. Turkmenistan which has now started opening up will be missed by the readers. The US intervention in the region is analysed in the last chapter (14), which on one hand has promoted tension with Russia and China on other hand helped the region on issues of drug trafficking, terrorism and in promoting democracy.
Overall the study is a competent and an useful addition to the growing literature on Central Asia and its problems and prospects.