Introduction

India's foreign policy engagement extends well beyond its immediate neighbourhood and major powers. Two distinctive arenas — Central Asia (the five former Soviet republics) and the Pacific Island Countries (PICs) — represent India's efforts to diversify its diplomatic footprint, secure strategic interests, and project soft power. Both regions are increasingly contested geopolitically — Central Asia is a theatre of Sino-Russian-Indian competition, while the Pacific Islands have emerged as a flashpoint of China-USA-India strategic rivalry. For UPSC GS-2, these are high-yield, less-studied topics that frequently appear in Mains answers on India's foreign policy.

Part A — India and Central Asia

The Five Central Asian Republics (CARs)

The five Central Asian Republics are former Soviet states that gained independence with the dissolution of the USSR in December 1991:

India established diplomatic relations with all five CARs in 1992, shortly after their independence. However, the relationship remained underdeveloped for decades due to geographic barriers (no direct land border), Pakistan's blocking of overland routes, and India's limited connectivity options.

India's Interests in Central Asia

1. Energy Security:

• Kazakhstan is a major oil producer (member of OPEC+).
• Turkmenistan has the 4th largest natural gas reserves in the world.
• India has invested in Kazakh oil fields (ONGC Videsh).
• The dream of a TAPI pipeline (Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India) — economically logical but blocked by Afghanistan's security situation.

2. Strategic/Geopolitical:

• Central Asia borders Afghanistan — stability in the CARs is critical for India's Afghanistan strategy.
• Countering China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which has invested heavily in Central Asian infrastructure.
• Countering Pakistan's influence in Central Asian Muslim communities.

3. Counter-terrorism:

• Central Asia has been a source of radicalization; some CARs host terrorist training grounds.
• India and CARs share concerns about Taliban-linked terror networks emanating from Afghanistan.
• SCO's Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) headquartered in Tashkent provides a framework for cooperation.

4. Historical and Cultural Ties:

• The ancient Silk Road connected India to Central Asia for millennia.
• Sanskrit and the Avestan language (Zoroastrian scriptural language) share common Indo-Iranian roots.
• Buddhist heritage: Taxila, Gandhara (in present-day Pakistan/Afghanistan) were gateways between India and Central Asia; Buddhist monasteries existed across Central Asia.
• Sufism: Many Central Asian Sufi saints have venerated connections to India (the Chishti order's origins trace to Central Asia).
• Mughal connections: The Mughal dynasty (Babur) came from the Fergana Valley (Uzbekistan); Indian courts had Persian/Turk-Mongol cultural influences.

5. Trade:

• Current bilateral trade is very low relative to potential — India–Kazakhstan trade was around $2.5 billion in recent years; India–Uzbekistan trade around $500 million.
• Central Asia could be a major market for Indian pharmaceuticals, IT services, and agricultural products.

Connect Central Asia Policy (2012)

India launched its "Connect Central Asia" policy in 2012 (announced at the India-Central Asia Dialogue in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan) to systematically expand engagement.

Key pillars:

• Political engagement: Regular high-level visits and summits.
• Economic connectivity: Trade through alternative routes (Iran, INSTC).
• Cultural diplomacy: Indian Cultural Centres (ICCR), scholarships, yoga, Hindi teaching.
• Security cooperation: Counter-terrorism, intelligence sharing.
• Development partnership: Indian grants for capacity building, IT, education.

Limitation of the policy: Without a direct land route (Pakistan corridor is unavailable), India cannot build overland connectivity economically. The policy remained aspirational until the focus shifted to maritime and Iran-based routes.

Connectivity Challenges and Alternatives

The Pakistan Problem:

• India has no direct land border with Central Asia.
• The most economical land route passes through Pakistan — closed due to political relations.
• Alternative overland route: India → Iran → Afghanistan → Central Asia — disrupted by Afghan instability.

Chabahar Port (Iran) — The Key Enabler:

• India has invested in developing Chabahar port on Iran's southeastern coast.
• Phase I operational since 2018.
• Chabahar provides India a sea route to Iran, and from there, road/rail connectivity to Afghanistan and onward to Central Asia — bypassing Pakistan entirely.
• India has signed agreements with Iran for long-term operation of Shahid Beheshti terminal at Chabahar.
• Challenge: US sanctions on Iran complicate Chabahar development and financing.

INSTC — International North-South Transport Corridor:

• A multi-modal transport corridor linking India (Mumbai) → Iran (Bandar Abbas/Chabahar) → Azerbaijan or Caspian Sea → Russia → Central Asia/Europe.
• Agreement signed by India, Iran, and Russia in 2000 (St. Petersburg).
• Chabahar's inclusion in INSTC was formally welcomed at the First India-Central Asia Summit (January 2022).
• Significantly reduces transit time and cost compared to traditional Europe-Asia routes via the Suez Canal.

First India-Central Asia Summit — January 2022

The most significant recent milestone:

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted the First India-Central Asia Virtual Summit on 27 January 2022.
• Attended by the Presidents of all five CARs: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
• Coincided with the 30th anniversary of India-Central Asia diplomatic relations.

Key outcomes:

• Agreed to establish a Summit mechanism meeting every 2 years.
• Welcomed inclusion of Chabahar Port in INSTC.
• Joint Working Groups set up on Afghanistan and Chabahar Port use.
• Connectivity, trade, culture, and counter-terrorism identified as priority areas.
• Turkmenistan offered inclusion of Turkmenbashi port in INSTC framework.

SCO — India and Central Asia in a Multilateral Framework

India became a full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in 2017 (along with Pakistan) at the Astana Summit.

SCO relevance for India-Central Asia relations:

• Provides institutional framework for India-CAR engagement.
• Key SCO bodies relevant to India: Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) in Tashkent; SCO Business Council; SCO Interbank Consortium.
• India hosted the SCO Summit in 2023 — as Chair, PM Modi hosted all SCO leaders (virtually).
• However, India-Pakistan tensions within SCO remain a friction point.

Afghanistan Factor

Afghanistan is the critical missing link in India-Central Asia connectivity:

• A stable Afghanistan with Indian influence would open a land corridor from India (via Pakistan or Iran) to Central Asia.
• The Taliban takeover in August 2021 disrupted Indian projects in Afghanistan (Salma Dam, Kandahar Consulate, Parliament building in Kabul).
• India has cautiously re-engaged with the Taliban — reopening its mission in Kabul in 2022 for consular services.
• Central Asian countries are also concerned about Taliban-linked instability and drug trafficking from Afghanistan.

Part B — India and Pacific Island Countries

The Pacific Island Countries (PICs)

The Pacific Islands are scattered across the vast Pacific Ocean, divided into three broad groupings:

• Melanesia: Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji
• Micronesia: FSM, Palau, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru
• Polynesia: Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, Cook Islands, Niue

Their defining characteristics:

• Very small populations (some have only a few thousand people).
• Vast Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) — disproportionate to land area.
• Extreme vulnerability to climate change and sea level rise (Tuvalu, Marshall Islands, Kiribati may become uninhabitable within decades).
• Strong sense of "Blue Pacific" identity — the ocean is their continent.
• Collectively control a significant share of the world's fishing grounds and potentially large seabed mineral resources.

Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC)

FIPIC is the institutional framework for India's engagement with Pacific Island Countries.

Launch:

• Proposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Fiji in November 2014.
• The First FIPIC Summit was held in Suva, Fiji, November 2014 — Modi's historic visit was the first by an Indian Prime Minister to Fiji in 33 years.

Membership:

• India + 14 Pacific Island Countries: Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.

FIPIC Summits:

3rd FIPIC Summit (May 2023) — Key Highlights:

• Co-chaired by PM Modi and Papua New Guinea PM James Marape in Port Moresby on 22 May 2023.
• First visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Papua New Guinea.
• India announced a 12-step action plan covering: healthcare, renewable energy, cyber security, digital connectivity, skill development, capacity building, and climate resilience.
• Commitment to establish a 100-bed regional super-specialty hospital in Fiji.
• Setting up a regional IT and cyber security training hub in PNG.
• Modi gave Pacific Island leaders a brief meeting with PM Modi of Australia (Quad connection), leveraging India's growing Indo-Pacific partnerships.

India's Interests in the Pacific Islands

1. Climate Change Diplomacy:

• PICs are the most vulnerable countries in the world to climate change.
• India, as a large developing nation with climate commitments (Paris Agreement, ISA — International Solar Alliance), finds natural solidarity with PICs on climate platforms.
• India supports PICs' demands for:
  • Ambitious global emission reduction targets.
  • Loss and Damage finance (the fund established at COP27, 2022 and operationalised at COP28, 2023).
  • Adaptation finance for island communities.

2. Ocean Governance and UNCLOS:

• PICs control vast EEZs — collectively one of the largest maritime zones in the world.
• India values their support in UNCLOS-based maritime governance positions.
• India and PICs share positions on freedom of navigation (implicitly against excessive Chinese maritime claims).

3. Critical Minerals:

• Pacific seabed contains vast deposits of polymetallic nodules (manganese, cobalt, nickel, copper) — essential for electric vehicle batteries and clean energy technology.
• As deep-sea mining regulation develops through the International Seabed Authority (ISA), India's partnership with PICs could be valuable.

4. Counter-balancing China:

• China has invested heavily in Pacific Island infrastructure under BRI.
• China–Solomon Islands Security Agreement (April 2022): A security pact allowing Chinese police and military forces to deploy in Solomon Islands — alarmed Australia, USA, and India.
• China's foreign minister Wang Yi visited 7 Pacific countries in May–June 2022 and attempted (unsuccessfully) to get a multilateral economic-security agreement signed.
• India's development cooperation approach — grants and capacity building, not debt — offers an alternative to China's model.

5. Vaccine Diplomacy and Health:

• During COVID-19, India supplied vaccines to several PICs under Vaccine Maitri initiative.
• India's health outreach — traditional medicine (AYUSH), telemedicine, affordable generic drugs — is valued by PICs with limited healthcare infrastructure.

6. Fisheries:

• Several PICs depend heavily on tuna fishing for revenue.
• Indian fishing industry and PICs have potential for cooperation in sustainable fisheries.

"Blue Pacific" Identity

Pacific Island leaders have articulated a "Blue Pacific" concept — the idea that the Pacific Ocean is not empty space between islands but rather constitutes the Pacific Islanders' homeland, resource base, and cultural identity.

Implications for diplomacy:

• PICs resist being treated as minor actors in others' great-power competition.
• They demand recognition as sovereign decision-makers on maritime governance, seabed resources, and climate finance.
• The Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) — the main regional body (18 members including Australia and New Zealand) — articulates this Blue Pacific vision.
• India engages with PIF as a Dialogue Partner (since 2002).

Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) and India

• India has been a Dialogue Partner of the Pacific Islands Forum since 2002.
• PIF annual summits are attended by India's representative.
• The distinction between FIPIC (India-centric) and PIF (Pacific-led): PIF includes Australia and New Zealand as full members; FIPIC does not.
• India's engagement through PIF complements FIPIC engagement.

Key Differences: India–Central Asia vs. India–Pacific Islands

Exam Strategy

For Prelims:

• FIPIC launched: November 2014, Suva, Fiji; 14 Pacific Island countries (not 15 — India is the 15th party).
• 3rd FIPIC Summit: Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, 22 May 2023; PM Modi co-chaired.
• INSTC: India-Iran-Russia multi-modal corridor; originally 2000 (St. Petersburg).
• First India-Central Asia Summit: 27 January 2022; virtual; PM Modi hosted; 30th anniversary of ties.
• Chabahar Port: Phase I operational 2018; in Sistan-Baluchestan province, Iran.
• SCO: India full member since 2017 (Astana Summit).
• Solomon Islands-China security deal: April 2022.
• RATS (SCO): Headquartered in Tashkent — counter-terrorism body.

For Mains GS-2:

• For Central Asia: Structure around — Historical ties → Strategic interests → Connectivity challenge → Solutions (Chabahar, INSTC) → SCO → Afghanistan factor → India-Central Asia Summit 2022.
• For Pacific Islands: Structure around — FIPIC → India's interests (climate, ocean, minerals, counter-China) → Blue Pacific concept → China's challenge → India's development model.
• Always demonstrate India's multi-faceted interests (not just counter-China) for a balanced answer.
• Connect Pacific Islands to India's broader Act East Policy and Indo-Pacific strategy.

Previous Year Questions (PYQs)

Prelims

• UPSC Prelims 2016: Consider the following about Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC) — when launched, where held, how many member countries.
• UPSC Prelims 2020: With reference to the INSTC (International North-South Transport Corridor), which of the following statements is/are correct?
• UPSC Prelims 2022: Consider the following statements about India's Central Asia policy...

Mains

• UPSC Mains GS-2 2018: "India's engagement with Central Asia has remained below its potential." Examine the opportunities and constraints in India-Central Asia relations.
• UPSC Mains GS-2 2020: Discuss India's connectivity initiatives with Central Asia. What role can Chabahar Port and INSTC play in India's strategic interests?
• UPSC Mains GS-2 2023: Examine India's engagement with Pacific Island Countries through FIPIC. How does this serve India's interests in the Indo-Pacific?
• UPSC Mains GS-2 2024: "The Pacific Islands are the new frontier of India's foreign policy." Comment in the context of India's Indo-Pacific strategy and FIPIC.