Harsha AH asked: What is the significance of Central Asian countries for India?

Meena Singh Roy replies: Today, the importance of Central Asia for India is not merely civilisational and historical; it goes much beyond this. Central Asia serves as a land bridge between Asia and Europe, and is rich in natural resources. It is thus geopolitically axial and economically offers whole range of opportunities. Both India and Central Asian Republics (CARs) share many commonalities and perceptions on various regional and world issues. There is enormous scope for pragmatic and profitable engagement between the two. The importance of CARs also lies in ensuring peace and stability in the region. However, India’s major limitation in this strategically important region is geographic non-accessibility. India does not share border with the CARs.