Economic and Strategic Interest of China and India in Central Asia

Abstract

Politically, economically, strategically and geographically Central
Asia is regarded as the Heart of Asia. This region is the hub of the natural
resources. It becomes a battle ground of those states which have interest in its
hydrocarbon reserves. China being the neighboring country of Central Asian
Republics and being an industrially advanced country is in dire need of the oil
and gas reserves of Central Asia. India being the agricultural and industrially
flourishing and bloom state is eager and trying to secure its correspondence
with Central Asian Republics. The paper examines the ongoing competition
between China and India for the resources of Central Asia. It argues that like
the “Great Game”, in the “New Great Game”, the Sino-India competition
includes competition for access to resources, the development of military
alliances and the use of strategic relationships with other powers to restrain
the rise of the opposing nation. In this article, both China and India are
described as competitors in this region for each other irrespective of different
problems and obstacles.