Central Asia and new Great Game – I

The demise of Soviet Union of 1991 following terrorist attacks of 2001 on the sole power of contemporary world structure were the milestones in the history of world politics which diverted the attention of political players from political to economic one. Different regions started preserving their economic interests by integrating. As the economic development is expanding, the race of achieving resources has become more extensive. The same case is with Central Asian region. It is stated that next war for resources would be fought on the field of Central Asia.
The concept of Great Game is not new one at all in the contemporary world politics. First Great Game was fought on Caucasus region in the 19th century and gradually expanded into Central Asian region via Afghanistan. The Heartland theory is once again coming limelight geo-strategic significance of this region in the form of ‘New Great Game’. The area of this “neo-game” would expand up to Indian subcontinent.
In the context of region, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Turkey and India are important players who all have interests in Central Asian Republics individually as well as collectively. The first four have directly territorial link with the CARs but India does not. Its presence in the region cannot be ignored due to having rapid ingress in Afghanistan and emergence of significant regional power.
Central Asian states and Pakistan share multiple strands of culture, history, religion, and civilisation. Pakistan has never thought to develop cordial relations with these states as focused only on Afghanistan most of the time. Strategically, Pakistan and Central Asia are important to each other, as only Pakistan can provide the CAS with a comparatively cheaper and shorter outlet for its natural energy resources and its trade to the outside world through the ports at Karachi and Gwadar. Politically, Pakistan wants to extend its influence in the region by way of new economic and political alliances. It wishes to enhance economic strategic partnership by forum of ECO.
India doesn’t have a direct territorial link with the CARs but close bonds of historical and cultural aspects bring both in a sphere of common understanding. That is why, CARs are thought as India’s “extended neighbours”. India’s main interest in Central Asia is to counter Pakistan; hence its policy is Pakistan-centered. This policy could be termed ‘interest-based confused policy’. In the economic sphere, the abundant natural resources of Central Asia and India’s technological and scientific capabilities provide the rationale for collaboration.
Iran has emerged as a bridge linking the Persian Gulf region to the new republics of Central Asia. If security and prosperity are maintained in these two regions, Iran’s security and development will be enhanced. The role of Iran after Islamic Revolution of 1979 and Soviet invasion of Afghanistan became prominent and it shaped an ever new foreign policy in accordance with a very famous slogan: ‘Neither East, Nor West!’ This policy has given a perception to the world that Iran is going to be under an Islamic radicalised system. Politically, Iran has interests in its ties to the Persian-speaking Tajiks and has urged to maintain its complete influence over Tajikistan by breaking out of international isolation due to great importance to its neighbours and competitors. Economically, Iran can promote concept of ‘Islamic economic regional integration’ in the form of ECO.
With the disintegration of the Soviet Union and the appearance of independent Turkic states in the Caucasus and Central Asia — in Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan — the Turkish officials were eager to cultivate relations with their once forgotten and now rediscovered Turkic cousins. This has been made a priority in Turkish foreign policy. Its traditional relations with Central Asia have often been nurtured at the expense of Turkey’s historical rivals, Russia and Iran. That is why she wants to defeat Iran by promoting Pan-Turkism or pan-Islamism and Russian factor by breaking its dream of having traditional ‘rights in it’s near abroad’ with the help of western powers. Strengthening existing economic ties and ensuring secure transportation of oil and gas supplies from new sources to Western markets via Turkey.
Iran and Turkey both have a little bit tassels on issue of form of government in Central Asia. Iran wants to promote radical Islamic system whereas Turkey favours pure secular system. Turkey has full support of China, Russian and the western powers, including America on her genuine stance. On the issue of ‘model’, both states has devotedly somehow compromised their clash just for the sake of economic interests of region players and humanitarian at large. Iran and Turkey along with Pakistan are developing mutual understanding on underpinning of the ECO meeting new challenges of global economic and regional trends in the modern world. That is why none of them wants to possess resources under its sphere of influence. After the emergence of CARs, it was perceived that who would capture the Central Asian States? According to the Economist, “When Soviet Central Asia suddenly found itself independent nearly four years ago, there was much speculation about whether Turkey or Iran would win the hearts of the Muslim peoples in a New Great Game in Central Asia. The answer has been clear for some time: neither”.
Afghanistan has the very close proximity with CARs but it can’t play an effective role as other regional players. As an unstable war-torn country has a very important geopolitical significance in terms of ‘heartlands’ for the future. Even now the most three adjacent Central Asian states are creating problems in the country but both regions are irrespectively responsible to creating impediments for each other one way or the other. But Afghanistan and these countries can found new regional cooperation culture in their concerned area. Afghanistan can be a best, easy and short trade, and oil-gas pipelines transit route in near future. Moreover, Afghanistan’s strategic role will determine the intensity and velocity of New Great Game in this region.
In the late post-Cold War era, it became a focal point of interests among three major powers players of contemporary international politics –two contiguous countries i.e. Russia and China, and third outside power – the US to meet with new growing demands of energy resources. It got renewed significance after 9/11, when the region found itself amidst the US ‘war on terror’, and became frontline region in the war. Three major powers have promised cooperation on some vital issues such as:
n Nuclear proliferation
n Terrorism
n Religious extremism
For the time being, they have shown cooperation but all of three have their own interests individually in the region. They are continuously in a state of confrontation with each other for their stakes and interests in Central Asia.

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