The Role and Place of Central Asia in Modern Russian-Indian Relations: Historical Perspectives

Abstract

The perspective of modern Russian-Indian relations can be revised with the appearance of regions whose importance is changing in the modern world. Such regions in Russian-Indian relations include Central Asia, whose geopolitical role is growing significantly in international relations. The region is perceived by Russia as a near abroad, while India identifies it as a significant strategic direction, part of an extended neighborhood. For New Delhi, the importance of Central Asia is determined by the need to stop the spread of radical religious movements in the link between Central Asia and South Asia, significant transit opportunities in the region, and fuel and energy resources. Separately, the need for India to balance the influence of the Chinese-Pakistani link on the Central Asian states should also be noted. In this regard, there is an interest for New Delhi to conduct a dialogue with Russia as a force stabilizing the region, concerning the coordination of efforts and actions along the Central Asian vector of the foreign policy of both states. However, in order to strengthen the corresponding dialogue Russia needs to understand how the Hindutva ideology, which lies in the ideological and value basis of the ruling BJP party in India, can affect the Central Asian vector of New Delhi’s foreign policy. In addition, it is important to correlate India’s recent initiatives in Central Asia with their possible integration into joint Russian-Indian interactions. The article draws conclusions about the insignificant influence of the Hindutva on the implementation of India’s foreign policy attitudes, as well as the importance of strengthening multilateral contacts in Central Asia with the simultaneous participation of Moscow and New Delhi.