India is positioning itself as a preferred strategic and economic partner for the Central Asian Republics (CARs), offering a sustainable development model rooted in technology transfer, trade diversification, and respect for national sovereignty — a stark contrast to China's resource-extractive engagement in the region, according to a report published by Myanmar-based media outlet Mizzima News.

India's Development Offer to Central Asia

According to the report, India's value proposition to the CARs centres on world-class pharmaceuticals, technical expertise, and digital infrastructure — including digital payment systems — alongside critical connectivity initiatives. These include the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) and the Chabahar Port, both pivotal to India's Connect Central Asia policy. Together, these initiatives could help bridge developmental gaps and open Central Asian economies to broader global markets, the report noted.

Unlike China's approach, which the report characterises as viewing the region 'largely as a supplier of raw materials and a market for cheap manufactured goods,' India's engagement is described as issue-based, driven by concessional financing, sustainable infrastructure, and transparency — factors that directly address concerns over debt-trap diplomacy.

A Shifting Regional Order Post-Moscow

The report observes that the post-Moscow era has reshaped Central Asia's strategic calculus. With Russia's regional influence receding, Central Asian nations have broadened their partnerships, increasingly turning to both China and India. China, described as a 'seasoned regional player,' has leveraged the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) for infrastructure investment across transport, energy, and digital sectors. India, by contrast, has pursued a thematic partnership model focused on rare earth metals, digital collaboration, and corridor connectivity.

The report notes that since 2015, India has begun treating Central Asia as a single geographical unit for cooperation, signing multiple agreements on security, energy, trade, and culture — a shift that reflects a strategic reorientation of the region in New Delhi's foreign policy thinking.

Why Central Asia May Favour India

The report identifies several reasons why CARs are increasingly inclined toward deeper engagement with India. First, it points to geostrategic unease over China's BRI, with regional governments viewing Chinese investments as potentially threatening to their sovereign autonomy. Second, it flags a deep well of public anti-China sentiment across the region — rooted in China's treatment of ethnic minorities including Uyghurs, Kazakhs, and Kyrgyz communities — alongside historical perceptions of Chinese expansionism.

'Central Asians are sceptical of Chinese investments, as these investments are considered risky and a threat to sovereignty,' the report stated, adding that India's image as a soft cultural power, backed by centuries of historical and socioeconomic ties with the region, gives it a distinct narrative advantage.

Strategic Implications for India

If realised, closer economic ties between India and the CARs could significantly expand New Delhi's geopolitical footprint in a region long dominated by Moscow and increasingly contested by Beijing. The report argues that this alignment could enable Central Asian nations to strengthen economic resilience while retaining sovereign autonomy — with development guided, as it put it, by 'mutual respect.' This comes amid India's broader push to diversify its strategic partnerships and reduce dependence on traditional supply chains. The full realisation of the INSTC and Chabahar connectivity arc will be a critical test of whether India's partnership promise translates into tangible regional outcomes.