Central Asia Digest | October 2021
HIGHLIGHTS ● Political Developments● Economic Developments● India-Central Asia Relations Political Developments The Taliban have released multiple statements assuring neighbours in Central Asia of safety, security and peace, promising a change in leadership despite their history of violent rule in 1990. However, the international community, especially in Central Asia, remains extremely skeptical. The Taliban pose a […]
Central Asia Digest | September 2021
HIGHLIGHTS ● Political Developments● Economic Developments● India-Central Asia Relations Political Developments Russia pledged to provide military support to Central Asia allies as security deteriorated in neighboring Afghanistan. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu voiced Moscow’s readiness to bolster Tajikistan’s military with weapons, equipment, and training. Shoigu made this statement at a meeting of Defense Ministers of […]
Central Asia Digest | August 2021
HIGHLIGHTS ● Political Developments● Economic Developments● India-Central Asia Relations Political Developments Few could have foreseen the rapid advances Taliban fighters have made in northern Afghanistan since the start of May. The fighting has spread swiftly to Afghanistan’s northern borders and involved Central Asia. The earlier isolated cases of Afghan government troops seeking refuge across the […]
Central Asia Digest | July 2021
HIGHLIGHTS ● Political Developments● Economic Developments● India-Central Asia Relations Political Developments As United States withdraws its last forces from Afghanistan, it is eyeing Central Asia more closely than at any other time since the early 2000s as a potential launching pad for residual counterterrorism operations in the region. But planning is complicated by these countries’ […]
Central Asia Digest | June 2021
HIGHLIGHTS ● Political Developments● Economic Developments● India-Central Asia Relations Political Developments US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met his counterparts from the five Central Asian countries (C5) to discuss a range of issues, including prospect of peace in Afghanistan, COVID-19 recovery and climate change. The C5+1 format was created in 2015 to increase communication and […]
Central Asia Digest | May 2021
HIGHLIGHTS ● Political Developments● Economic Developments● India-Central Asia Relations Political Developments Voters in Kyrgyzstan granted sweeping powers to President Sadyr Japarov on 11 April in a constitutional referendum that will also allow him to run for re-election. The vote to change the Constitution to make it a Presidential form of government was approved by the […]
Central Asia Digest | April 2021
HIGHLIGHTS ● Political Developments● Economic Developments● India-Central Asia Relations Political Developments Kyrgyzstan’s foreign debt is reportedly around US$5 billion and more than 40% (US$1.8 billion) is owed to Export-Import Bank of China for a series of infrastructure projects over the last decade under the guise of Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Bishkek is grappling with […]
Central Asia Digest | March 2021
HIGHLIGHTS ● Political Developments● Economic Developments● India-Central Asia Relations Political Developments Sadyr Japarov officially took over as the new Kyrgyz president on 28th January, 2021, becoming the sixth president of Kyrgyzstan. Japarov defeated his 16 opponents, receiving more than 79% of votes polled, second highest total in Kyrgyzstan’s history after Kurmanbek Bakiyev’s 89% in the […]
Central Asia Digest | February 2021
HIGHLIGHTS ● Political Developments● Economic Developments● India-Central Asia Relations Political Developments Sadyr Japarov who took over as prime minister and also as acting president of Kyrgyzstan in mid-October, soon after the parliamentary elections, resigned his posts on 14th November, 2020 in order to run for president. Soon thereafter Kyrgyzstan’s parliament, which had ceased to exist, […]
Central Asia Digest | January 2021
HIGHLIGHTS ● INDIA-UZBEKISTAN PARTNERSHIP: TOWARDS NEW HEIGHTS Introduction PM Modi held a virtual Summit with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan on 11th December, 2020. This is the first Summit in virtual format that PM Modi has conducted with any leader of Central Asia. PM Modi was earlier scheduled to travel to Uzbekistan in July, 2020 but because […]