Dynamics of Energy Geopolitics of Central Asia1

Abstract

Geopolitics is the study of international relations and conflicts from geographical perspective, in other words it is also defined as the practice of states, competing for the dominance and control the territory. Central Asia, due to its geopolitical importance has always attracted the attention of all major schools of geopolitical thoughts especially, ‘the school of political landscape’ (English school) and school of geopolitical organism’ (German school). This region has also been the core of Russian and the former Soviet Union’s geopolitical imagination. Since the emergence of independent Central Asian States (CAS), struggle has erupted to control space in this region for hydrocarbon resources and various other reasons. Russia has reclaimed this region for controlling energy supply from the Central Asian Region (CAR) to the countries of Asia, Europe and other parts of the world. China is focusing on the energy resources of this region to reduce its energy dependency on Middle East and Africa countries. For China security of the import of the hydrocarbon resources through the Indian Ocean is also a reason to pay attention towards the CAR. The US and EU need central Asian energy to reduce dependency on Russian gas supply to Europe. Pakistan and India are also potential players in the central Asian energy game. These countries are also trying hard to engage but due to different geopolitical problems and difficulties have not been successful. Turkey, a west Asian country with rapidly growing economy is trying to tap central Asian energy with the help of Iran. Thus, a detailed analysis of the energy politics of global players in the Central Asia is the subject matter of this paper. Players in the region divided in three category, all three category power’s policies and achievement are discussed in the given paper. Methodology: The study is based on secondary data and information. The analysis is based on empirical, historical, comparative, descriptive methods and critical qualitative assessment of the events and political developments in the study region.