Dynamics of India–Central Asia Relations: An Appraisal of Historical Legacy with Special Reference to Overland Trade

2020 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
pp. 206-222
Author(s):  
Darakhshan Abdullah
Keyword(s):  
Special Reference ◽  
Central Asia ◽  
Regional Cooperation ◽  
Historical Study ◽  
Historical Legacy ◽  
Trade Relations ◽  
Central Asian ◽  
Building Process ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Soviet Central Asia

The article seeks to provide glimpses into the multidimension relations with special reference to trade relations that existed between India and Central Asia right from ancient times, which reached their climax during Mughal times. The article reveals that these relations continued unprecedented despite complex geophysical forces, namely formidable mountains, undulating deserts, unending plains together with the periodical political convulsions especially the triangular rivalry between the three mighty powers of the region, i.e., the Mughals of India, the Uzbeks of Central Asia and the Safavids of Persia. The study of contemporary sources reveals that each power tried at its best to encourage the trade by providing safety and security to the trading caravans carrying different mercantile. The brisk trade relations received a serious jolt when the two regions became part of colonial empires, i.e., the Britain and Russia. Though indirect political and cultural relations were restored by India with the former Soviet Central Asia, yet disintegration of the USSR and the subsequent emergence of independent Central Asian states, which, in search of new allies for the nation-building process, establishment of market economy and democratic set up, offered a golden opportunity to India, being an immediate neighbour in the region, for restoring and reviving its historical legacy. The historical study carried out in this article intends to provide insights into twenty-first-century Indian policy planers for establishing strong multidimensional relations for regional cooperation and sustainable development, apart from maintaining balance of political power.

Regionalism and Regional Cooperation in Central Asia

2019 ◽  
Vol 56 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 147-162 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ajay Patnaik
Keyword(s):  
Central Asia ◽  
Regional Cooperation ◽  
Soviet Period ◽  
Bilateral Relations ◽  
Central Asian ◽  
Building Process ◽  
National Leaders ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Cooperative Dynamics ◽  
External Powers

In the post-Soviet period, Central Asia has lost the cohesiveness it had in the Soviet period. The states of the region have since been seeking outward linkages to pursue their economic and security interests. In the process, the relation between the Central Asian countries weakened and, in some cases, became adversarial. The nation-building process undertaken by the national leaders alienated ethnic minorities and neighbouring states. As a result, the regional mechanisms or organizations that have come up in the region are led or initiated by powers such as Russia, China and the USA. The competing interests of these powers have not helped in promoting cooperation among the Central Asia countries though some of these organizations are useful for member states. However, a new trend is visible since 2016 when a new leader became president in Uzbekistan. Improved bilateral relations and summits of leaders of the region create hope for a new regionalism in Central Asia that is based on the internal cooperative dynamics within the region. This may not replace the already existing mechanisms or organizations. However, the process itself is conducive for intra-regional cooperation and would be helpful in keeping the region free from the geopolitical competition of external powers.

Kazakstan and the Rest of Central Asia: Fifteen Shades of Difference

1998 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 573-579 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Rywkin
Keyword(s):  
Central Asia ◽  
Past History ◽  
The Other ◽  
Geographic Position ◽  
Central Asian ◽  
Soviet Central Asia ◽  
Central Asian Republics

Kazakstan is both part of former Soviet Central Asia and yet stands apart in many respects. Its geographic position, past history and present development are unique for the area. It is significant that Soviet-era writings treated Kazakstan distinctly from the other four Central Asian republics. This essay is devoted to these differences.

Imagined democracy? Nation-building and elections in Central Asia

2015 ◽  
Vol 43 (3) ◽  
pp. 495-513 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donnacha Ó Beacháin ◽  
Rob Kevlihan
Keyword(s):  
Central Asia ◽  
Nation Building ◽  
Nation State ◽  
Weak States ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Nation States ◽  
Central Asian ◽  
Central Asian Countries ◽  
Soviet Central Asia ◽  
Nation State Formation

Is an imagined democracy more important than actual democracy for nation-building purposes? After 20 years of independence, Central Asian countries present a mixed bag of strong and weak states, consolidated and fragmented nations. The equation of nation and state and the construction of genuine nation states remains an elusive goal in all of post-Soviet Central Asia. This paper examines the role that electoral politics has played in nation-state formation. We argue that electoral processes have been central to attempted nation-state building processes as part of efforts to legitimize authoritarian regimes; paradoxically in those few countries where (for brief periods) partial democratization actually occurred, elections contributed, at least in the short term, to nation-state fragmentation.

Clan Politics and Regime Transition in Central Asia

2007 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 802-804
Author(s):  
Nilgun Onder
Keyword(s):  
Soviet Union ◽  
Central Asia ◽  
Political Regime ◽  
Historical Study ◽  
Science Literature ◽  
Regime Transition ◽  
The Soviet Union ◽  
Central Asian ◽  
Independent States ◽  
Central Asian Republics

Clan Politics and Regime Transition in Central Asia, Kathleen Collins, New York: Cambridge University Press, 2006, pp. 376.The long isolation of Central Asia finally ended with the collapse of the Soviet Union. Five new independent states emerged from the ashes of the Soviet Union, the very first time in history that the peoples of Central Asia gained their own independent states modelled on the modern state. This development caught the world, including Central Asians themselves, by surprise. It changed the geopolitics of the entire Eurasia. In the ensuing years, the Central Asian republics have undergone simultaneous multiple transformations: state building; political regime transformation; and transition from Soviet communism. Thus the new states in Central Asia have provided scholars with new cases of multiple economic and political transitions to study and compare. In recent years, there has been a significant proliferation of English-language publications on Central Asia. Kathleen Collin's book, a comparative historical study of political development in Central Asia, is a major contribution. While its focus is on Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, it often provides examples from the other two Central Asian republics, namely Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan. It is thoroughly researched and rich in information and details. It also makes a significant contribution to the political science literature on democratization, regime transition and consolidation.

Power, Social Life, and Public Memory in Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan

Inner Asia ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timur Dadabaev
Keyword(s):  
Central Asia ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Public Perceptions ◽  
The Public ◽  
Central Asian ◽  
The Everyday ◽  
Soviet Time ◽  
Historical Discourses ◽  
Soviet Central Asia ◽  
Soviet Historiography

AbstractThis article attempts to analyse the memory of people through recollections of the everyday life of people in Soviet times in the Central Asian republics of Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. By using extensive interviews with seventy-five elderly people in Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan regarding their Soviet-time experiences, this article argues that the public view of history in post-Soviet Central Asia often falls in between Soviet historiography advocating advances of Soviet past and post-Soviet historical discourses rejecting the Soviet past. Public perceptions of history in Central Asia are mostly shaped by and related to the everyday needs, experiences, identifications and mentality of people as opposed to the ideologies and political doctrines of the time. They often reflect not only the perceptions of people regarding their past but also their perceptions regarding their present.

scholarly journals DEVELOPMENT OF TOURISM IN CENTRAL ASIA (ON THE EXAMPLE OF UZBEKISTAN AND KAZAKHSTAN)

2020 ◽  
pp. 242-245
Author(s):  
Atadjanova Sayyora Melisovna
Keyword(s):  
Central Asia ◽  
Diplomatic Relations ◽  
Trade Relations ◽  
Central Asian ◽  
World Tourism Organization ◽  
Ancient Times ◽  
The Rich ◽  
Asian People ◽  
Tourism Organization ◽  
New Industry

The article reveals the relevance of cooperation of Central Asia in the field of tourism during the years of independence, using the example of the Uzbek and Kazakh peoples. The rich historical, cultural and spiritual heritage of the Central Asian people, which has accumulated from ancient times to the present day. An interchange that can be traced back to the ancient Great Silk Road, which contributed to the enrichment of nationalities’ cultures, the establishment of diplomatic relations between states, the establishment and development of trade relations and the spiritual enrichment of peoples. And nowadays the invaluable heritage of the Central Asian peoples contributes to the establishment and development of a new industry - tourism in the period of independence, as historical, sanitary, sports, gastronomic as well. KEY WORDS: Tourism, culture, cooperation, World Tourism Organization, Tourism Fair Agreement.

scholarly journals Russia and Post-Soviet Central Asia: Reciprocal Language Studies in University Curricula and Bilateral Cooperation in this Area

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ksenia Muratshina ◽  
Olga Iakimova ◽  
Ildar Hamzin ◽  
Tatiana Verbitskaia ◽  
Gayrat Bobojonov ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Central Asia ◽  
Soft Power ◽  
Russian Language ◽  
Language Studies ◽  
Central Asian ◽  
Bilateral Cooperation ◽  
Linguistic Aspect ◽  
Soviet Central Asia ◽  
Regional Languages ◽  
The Russian Language

Russia and the post-Soviet countries of Central Asia are close partners, having ties not only in the economy, politics and culture, but also in the field of security. The linguistic aspect of interaction is also of great importance. This article analyzes the presence of the Russian language in the curricula of Central Asian universities, the presence of Central Asian languages in the curricula of Russian universities, and the level of bilateral cooperation in this area. The study is conducted within the framework of the methodological structure of the theory of “soft power” by J. Nye and the concept of “competitive identity of the state” by S. Anholt. The findings of our study present arguments in support of, firstly, the development of an effective strategy to preserve the role of the Russian language as a unifying cultural factor and an instrument of international communication and cooperation, and, secondly, the possibility of preparation specialists in Central Asia in Russia with a good knowledge of regional languages in order to ensure strategic planning, evaluation of joint projects and the study of modern literature. Keywords: Russia, Central Asia, cultural cooperation

scholarly journals A Great Game in Greater Central Asia

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 238-243
Author(s):  
M. H. Glantz
Keyword(s):  
Soviet Union ◽  
Central Asia ◽  
Former Soviet Union ◽  
Aral Sea ◽  
Aral Sea Basin ◽  
The Soviet Union ◽  
Central Asian ◽  
Soviet Central Asia ◽  
Great Game ◽  
Central Asian Republics

The region historically referred to as Soviet Central Asia includes the 5 Central Asian Republics (CARs) of the Former Soviet Union (FSU): Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. Their political status changed drastically when the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991 and they became independent republics. Since the early 1990s, Central Asian leaders have referred on occasion to neighboring Afghanistan as the sixth CAR. In fact, it does occupy 14% of the Aral Sea Basin and its mountains supply about 15% of streamflow to the region’s mighty Amu Darya River that used to flow into Central Asia’s Aral Sea.

scholarly journals New Trends in Central Asian Connectivity

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabio Indeo
Keyword(s):  
Central Asia ◽  
Regional Cooperation ◽  
Belt And Road Initiative ◽  
Land Bridge ◽  
Central Asian ◽  
Belt And Road ◽  
Central Asian Countries ◽  
National Economies ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Central Asian Republics

The main aim of this article is to evaluate the impact of the China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and of Uzbekistan's proactive regional policy to promote regional interconnectivity and to develop an “endogenous” cooperation mainly focused on the strategic interests of Central Asian countries. Within the BRI, Central Asia holds a strategic relevance, because this region is crossed by two of the six main BRI corridor projects – the China-Central Asia-West Asia Economic Corridor and the Eurasian land bridge – which will contribute to improve regional cooperation and connections among these countries. For Central Asian republics, BRI represents an attractive project benefiting of Chinese huge investments aimed to boost infrastructures and to develop national economies. Under Mirziyoyev's leadership, Uzbekistan has undertaken a proactive and constructive regional diplomacy in Central Asia, based on the improvement of relations and cooperation with other Central Asian republics, which has become a key priority of Tashkent's foreign policy.

Mantra: a Review Essay on Islam in Soviet Central Asia

2020 ◽  
Vol 63 (3) ◽  
pp. 389-433
Author(s):  
Eren Tasar
Keyword(s):  
Central Asia ◽  
Review Essay ◽  
Religious Life ◽  
Recent Scholarship ◽  
Central Asian ◽  
Urban Rural ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Muslim Religiosity ◽  
Soviet Central Asia

Abstract This paper traces the development of the historiography of Islam in Soviet Central Asia from the Cold War’s outset to the present by illustrating its uncritical reproduction of modernist and communist templates for describing Muslim religiosity, and its debt to two foundational frames of Soviet antireligious propaganda: “survivals” and “nationalized Islam.” It highlights the important implications of these frames for this scholarship’s development, i.e., its assumptions concerning “normativity” and the “poverty” of Central Asian Islam, as well as the urban-rural divide’s salience in religious life. The essay concludes with a survey of recent scholarship on the subject.

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