http://www.webindia123.com/news/showdetails.asp?id=76020&cat=Business
Central Asia, new focus of India's oil diplomacy New Delhi, April 6 : With the global race for scarce energy resources intensifying, India is increasingly looking to Central Asia both as a reliable source of oil and natural gas and a focus of its strategic interests in Asia. Uzbek President Islam A. Karimov's visit to India has underlined New Delhi's growing engagement with Central Asia. Energy cooperation with Uzbekistan -- the world's eighth-largest producer of natural gas - figured prominently in the Uzbek leader's discussions with Indian leaders. Says K. Santhanam, president of India-Central Asia Foundation, an NGO formed to promote Track II initiatives in Central Asia: "After West Asia (Middle East), Central Asia could be a key region for fulfilling our rapidly expanding energy requirements. "The region has certainly grown in importance for us. But it's not a new discovery or new interest as India has enjoyed excellent relations with Central Asian republics right from the Soviet days," he told IANS. Many experts feel that India should be quick to consolidate its interests in the region before it is too late. Tahir Ashgar, an expert on Central Asia at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), said in a tone of urgency: "We didn't miss the bus as we did not go to the bus stop in the first place. It is time to make up for lost opportunities" A reality check reveals that the market is already crowded, with the US going into the region in a big way, driven by the oil-driven policies of the Bush administration. Russia too has lately consolidated its presence by signing mega deals on oil exploration with former Soviet republics. China has invested millions of dollars in the hydrocarbon sector and may use the region as a trial stage to push its global ambitions as an Asian superpower. Pakistan has also been eyeing the region for its rich reserves of oil and is trying to use pan-Islamic sentiments to build its profile. "We should use our traditional ties as a lever to expand our engagement in the energy sector," advised Ajay Kumar Patnaik of JNU. In view of the US pressure on India over the Iran-Pakistan-India pipeline, the proposed Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India pipeline has assumed new significance for India as an alternative source of gas and the need for increased presence in the region. Besides oil, Central Asian republics, including Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, are important for India from the viewpoint of national security, especially in combating terrorism fuelled by radical Islam. "One can't rule out the revival of radical Islam in the region. That's why we have a stake in ensuring security of the region," said Sreedhar, a keen watcher of developments in Central Asia. India has set up a joint working group with Uzbekistan in combating terrorism. The strategic significance of the region is clear from the fact that India has the only military base outside India in Tajikistan. India helped the regional countries, especially Tajikistan, against the onslaught of the Taliban by supporting the Northern Alliance in Afghanistan. A spate of high-profile visits by Indian leaders, including then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee two years ago, has underlined the region's growing importance in India's energy and security calculus The potential for cooperation between India and Central Asia is huge and can encompass areas such as IT, biotechnology, telecom, service sector and education. "India should think up of setting up IITs and IIMs in these countries as there is a huge demand for quality managerial and technical education in these Central Asian republics," says Ashgar. Tourism to picturesque towns of Central Asia is yet another area that may lead to not only more business but also more people-to-people contacts with India. Most importantly, in a post 9/11 world configured by energy diplomacy, Central Asia has emerged as the preferred chessboard for the second Great Game for global domination. The US is leading the charge. If India is to play its role as a major Asian power, it will have to deepen its engagement and raise its profile in the region. "We need to have a more comprehensive policy in Central Asia to extract maximum advantages," counsels Ashgar. -- Oh my God, space aliens! Don't eat me, I have a wife and kids. Eat them! -- Homer Simpson ------------------------ Yahoo! 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