Modi trying to woo Central Asian leaders to counter Sino-Russian influence
New Delhi (AsiaNews/Agencies) – In an attempt to counter Sino-Russian cooperation in Russia’s Far East, India is pursuing economic cooperation in Central Asia. For this reason, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi toured the region’s five nations during last week’s BRICS summit, a meeting that brought together powers that seek to be an alternative to the West.
Asia’s major powers are trying to woo Central Asian nations. Long tied to Russia, the latter are now being showered with offers of investment in mining, oil, steel and manufacturing, starting with China.
Speaking after he met with Uzbekistan’s President Islam Karimov on 6 July, Modi said that his visit “reflects our resolve to start a new era in our relations with Central Asian republics”.
In fact, “India is the new frontier of opportunities for the world. Central Asia is a vast region of immense resources, talented people, rapid growth and a strategic location,” Modi said during his visit to Kazakhstan on 7 July.
For the Indian leader, “India is prepared to invest more in a new partnership of prosperity.” Unlike Ban Ki-moon’s recent visit, which touched social issues like human rights, economics dominated his tour of the region.
In his first stop, in Uzbekistan, Modi urged Karimov to make the economic climate “smoother” for Indian investors.
The two leaders also discussed ways to implement a contract for 2,000 metric tonnes of the yellow cake signed last year.
They also discussed other issues, like beefing up anti-terrorist cooperation, the situation in Afghanistan, as well as promoting tourism, culture, and defence cooperation.
During his stay in Kazakhstan, Modi signalled India’s intention to boost its presence in Kazakhstan’s energy sector.
The two countries plan to drill for oil in the Caspian Sea, and Kazakh President Nazarbayev agreed to sell 5,000 tonnes of Kazakh uranium over the next five years. Kazakhstan has already supplied India with 2,100 tonnes of uranium between 2010 and 2014.
“Kazakhstan is the largest economic partner of India in the region. Our relations have a great potential for further development. We intend to make every effort to ensure that economic ties will go to a new level,” said the Indian prime minister.
The two countries signed other agreements on the transfer of sentenced persons, on information technology and bilateral defence cooperation, including joint exercises, consultations, training of military personnel, and cooperation in UN peacekeeping operations.
After his stop at the BRICS summit in Russia, the Indian Prime Minister travelled to Turkmenistan.
Modi and Turkmenistani President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov decided to speed up the final stages of the TAPI (Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India) pipeline.
In Kyrgyzstan, talks with President Almazbek Atambayev focused on agriculture, biomedical research, and mining.
Lastly, in Tajikistan, the Indian leader signed agreements with Emomali Rakhmon in the areas of defence, hydropower, terrorism and drug trafficking.
Analysts say Moscow and Beijing are keeping a jealous eye out as Modi woos Central Asia’s leaders.
“India is trying to become a more important player in Central Asia,” Kazakhstani political analyst Aidos Sarym told EurasiaNet.org.
“Russia and China will probably not be altogether glad to see India here” since Modi has urged “a climate of cooperation and collaboration, not competition and exclusion.”
Whilst the Kremlin still considers Central Asia to be “a zone of its exclusive interests,” Russian leader Vladimir Putin may be reluctant to antagonise India at this time, Sarym added.
The Kremlin is seeking India’s support to create a geopolitical counterbalance to the West, amid Russia’s deep freeze in relations with the United States and European Union.
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