Publication

This paper explores the concerns and interests that motivate India’s efforts to step up its engagement in Central Asia. It examines policy statements as well as practical initiatives, and considers how India is faring in the geopolitical competition over the region. The author suggests that India's increased engagement with the region is driven by two primary concerns: 1) securing and diversifying India’s energy supplies in order to sustain economic growth and 2) keeping a check on the rise of radical Islamist groups that may pose a threat to India’s security.