Prime Minister
Narendra Modi’s travel diary could soon be having some more new places. Come July, Modi would be visiting five Central Asian countries with an intent to tap huge natural resources including hydrocarbon and uranium. As per a news report in The Economic Times, Modi plans to spend a day each in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and
Tajikistan, diplomatic sources told the financial daily. The trip is being clubbed with Modi's maiden visit to
Russia for the Brics summit in
Ufa on July 8 and 9, sources hinted. Modi is also expected to attend the
Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in the same city on July 9 and 10.
Beijing has made huge inroads in the region, with which it shares geographical boundaries, by laying pipelines to harness hydrocarbon and constructing railway and road network to connect Europe via
Central Asia. Prime ministerial trips to Central Asia have been few and far between notwithstanding its geographical proximity, strategic importance and abundance of natural resources.
While many former Prime Minsters from
Narasimha Rao to
Atal Bihari Vajpayee and
Manmohan Singh have visited these countries lack of road and sea access has not allowed India to realise full trade potential with the region. This could change after India develops the Chabahar port in
Iran and will use the nation as a transit for Central Asia. India's defence ties with some countries of the region have been upgraded in recent years. India also shares historical bonds with Central Asia and enjoys goodwill in the region, thanks to its ties with the erstwhile
Soviet Union of which the nations were a part.
(Image:
India Times)
