PM Modi visit to Uzbekistan, Kyrgyz Republic: Why Central Asia matters for India

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Central Asia. For India, engagement with the Central Asian countries is important for a variety of reasons, from security to connectivity to energy.

What Central Asia Offers

• Central Asia has historically been regarded as Russia’s strategic sphere of influence, with strong Russian linguistic, demographic and political links.
• The region possesses substantial reserves of energy resources, critical minerals and hydropower potential, making it increasingly important to major global powers.
• Kazakhstan is rich in uranium, coal, lead, zinc, gold and iron ore and is one of the world’s major uranium producers.
• Kyrgyz Republic possesses significant gold resources and hydropower potential.
• Turkmenistan holds some of the world’s largest natural gas reserves.
• Tajikistan possesses considerable hydropower potential.
• Uzbekistan is rich in gold, uranium and natural gas.

India’s Strategic Stakes in Central Asia

• India considers Central Asia part of its extended neighbourhood and seeks deeper political, economic and security engagement with the region.
• Security cooperation has gained importance following the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan and concerns over terrorism and radicalisation.
• India seeks to balance China’s growing regional influence, particularly through the Belt and Road Initiative.
• Connectivity projects such as the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) are central to improving India’s access to Central Asian markets.
• Central Asia is important for India’s energy security, especially Kazakhstan’s uranium resources and Turkmenistan’s role in the proposed TAPI gas pipeline.
• The region also offers considerable scope for expanding trade, investment and economic partnerships.

Key Challenges

• India’s biggest constraint is the absence of direct land connectivity with Central Asia, as Pakistan does not provide an overland transit route.
• This has increased the importance of Iran’s Chabahar Port and the INSTC as alternative routes to Central Asia.
• Instability in Afghanistan creates concerns over terrorism, radicalisation and the possible resurgence of extremist groups, affecting both India and Central Asian states.
• China’s extensive investments and infrastructure presence give Beijing a substantial economic and strategic advantage in the region.
• The Russia-Ukraine conflict has also produced demographic changes, including the migration of skilled Russians into Central Asian countries.

Civilisational and Cultural Links with Uzbekistan

• India and Uzbekistan share particularly strong historical, cultural and civilisational connections.
• Kara Tepa near Termez is an important Buddhist archaeological site associated with the spread of Buddhism during the Kushana period.
• Hindi and Uzbek share a considerable number of words, reflecting centuries of linguistic and cultural interaction.
• Similarities in food traditions are visible in terms such as samosa–samsa, naan–non and pulao–pilaf.
• Economic relations have also expanded, with India emerging as an important trading partner of Uzbekistan and bilateral trade approaching $1 billion in 2025–26.

Significance for India

• Central Asia is important for India because of its strategic location, energy resources, mineral wealth and proximity to Afghanistan.
• Stronger engagement can help India diversify its energy and critical-mineral partnerships.
• Improved connectivity can provide India greater access to Eurasian markets.
• Cooperation with Central Asian states can strengthen efforts against terrorism, extremism and organised crime.
• Platforms such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) provide India an additional mechanism for sustained regional engagement.

India’s outreach to Central Asia reflects its effort to make the region a stronger pillar of its extended neighbourhood policy.Despite connectivity constraints and security challenges, Central Asia remains crucial for India’s energy security, trade, connectivity and geopolitical interests.Deeper economic engagement, improved connectivity through Chabahar and the INSTC, and stronger security cooperation will be essential for expanding India’s influence in the region.