The Centrality of Central Asia and Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan occupies, in terms of land area and resources, the most promi­nent position in Central Asia.. Central Asia, from an Indian perspective, has a deep civilizational connotation. In fact, the region was known for being a geo­graphical pivot of history not only for the role it played in the evolution of human­ity but also for being the cradle of world’s great civilizations. Being a land bridge between the East and the West, and between the North and the South, the influ­ence of Central Asia in the past pervaded throughout Eurasian world. The region played the role of a contact point between civilizations. Several empires, religions, languages, philosophies and cultures flourished here. They were borne to the Cen­tral Asian steppes on the wheels of both trade and invasion. There was a time when Central Asia was a transit route for transcontinental trade traffic. It was the place where traders, pilgrims and travelers met, exchanged their goods, culture and ideas, and created an environment of prosperity and harmony. The Islamic geog­rapher Yaqut noted in the 12th Century that “a prosperous merchant of Merv had one warehouse on the Volga River and another in Gujarat (India), and he owed his prosperity to his role as a middleman in an axis of trade”.

The dominance of Central Asia as an actor on the world stage diminished as a result of the industrial revolution in the West. The subsequent rise of mari­time power had further reduced the significance of Central Asian “heartland” as a cross-bridge, resulting into relative isolation of the region from the world scene. This phenomenon inevitably affected every aspect of Central Asian life. We have even witnessed in the following centuries how grand geopolitical games were being played to contain the “Eurasian Heartland”. The end result was that Central Asia, for a long spell of period, had to live in the dark shadow of big powers’ game.

The profound changes in the World order, particularly the end of the Cold War, have once again altered the basic framework of international relations. The collapse of the old world order coincided with epochal breakthroughs in the fron­tiers of science and technology. The fast developing new system of communica­tion, transportation and information technology is rapidly breaking the old barri­ers of terra incognitos such as geographical inaccessibility, land locked situations and remoteness. Indications are clear that in this the 21st Century, many of those traditional disadvantages vis-a-vis Central Asian region will no longer remain valid. Moreover, the vast natural resources of the region will once again bring Central Asia into the centrality of global geo-economics and geopolitics.

We do witness that the historical and geopolitical aspect of Central Asia is already propelling, particularly in the case of Kazakhstan, to revive its sense of geopolitical responsibilities towards cohesive regional integration. Kazakhstan is playing a key role in establishing the Eurasian Economic Community that will foster regional integration. The region has enormous prospects and in fact all the ingredients for bringing economic, political and social transformation. We already notice that within a short period of ten years, since independence, Kazakhstan has

achieved economic, political and social stability. Kazakhstan’s leadership is im­plementing extraordinary measures that will have far reaching consequences for the growth, prosperity and security of Central Asian civilization. We must also mention here the most significant initiative taken bv President Nazarbayev for Confidence Building Measure and Interaction in Asia, what is known as CICA process. This is the most important and timely initiative taken by Kazakhstan and endorsed by key Asian countries that will also ensure durable peace beyond Central Asian region.