Towards Comprehensive Economic Co-operation between India and Central Asian Republics

Despite some recovery in recent years, Central Asian Republics (CARs) remain in difficult economic situation and they present a serious challenge to Asia. It is in the mutual interest of both CARs and rest of Asia (including India) to explore the avenues for more intensive regional economic co-operation. This paper argues how India can be more active by: (a) giving intellectual confidence to CARs in developing and implementing their own Eurasian model of development which follows a middle path on both democracy and markets; (b) providing financial and technical resources to revive their agriculture , industry and services; and (c) improving connectivity and liberalizing trade and investment regimes for greater exchange of goods, services and capital.