Indian Prime Minister Modi recently wrote in a post, "It is my pleasure to meet with the Foreign Ministers of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. India deeply cherishes its historical relations with Central Asian countries. I look forward to working together to further deepen cooperation in trade, connectivity, energy, financial technology, food security, and health, promoting common progress and prosperity. We are firmly committed to jointly combating terrorism."
Since proposing the "Connect Central Asia" policy in 2012, India has continuously strengthened its interactions with Central Asian countries. The Central Asian region is located at the center of the Eurasian continent and holds a key geographical position as a place where the forces of major powers converge and compete. India actively develops relations with the five Central Asian countries partly to expand its strategic space, alleviate geopolitical pressures in South Asia, seek more discourse power in regional affairs by strengthening ties with Central Asia, and bypass the tense relationship with Pakistan. On the other hand, it also aims to counterbalance China's influence in Central Asia. In recent years, China has achieved significant results through the "Belt and Road Initiative" in extensive cooperation with Central Asian countries, which inevitably arouses competitive intentions in India.
India yearns for the energy resources of Central Asia to meet the rapidly growing domestic energy demands. Strengthening cooperation in the energy sector can provide stable momentum for India's economic development. Meanwhile, Central Asian countries see India's vast market and certain industrial manufacturing capabilities.
Source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1834330811238404/
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