Подходы Индии к Евразии: восприятие регионального пространства и основные приоритеты

Восток. Афро-азиатские общества: история и современность. 2024. № 4. С. 60–72.

Zakharov A.

The article examines the perception of Eurasia in India – both at the level of the political establishment and expert community. The author seeks to identify the boundaries of the Eurasian political space and decipher India’s approach to the regional integration mechanisms, specificallyShanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

It appears that India has a distinct perception of Eurasia as a political space which does not coincide with geographical boundaries of the continent. The author argues that it is the post-Soviet space, albeit with some caveats on the western frontiers, that lies at the core of Eurasian political space from the Indian perspective, while China and Pakistan as the most important destinations and challenges of Indian foreign policy fall outside and are considered as external actors.

Indian approach to Eurasia rests on two pillars. The first is the apprehension about security threats emanating from India’s northern borders, including territorial disputes with China and Pakistan; the problem of terrorism and separatism in the Kashmir region; instability in Afghanistan. The second key area of Indian interest is the development of ties with the countries of Central Asia and Transcaucasia. New Delhi’s diplomatic contacts with the countries of these regions have expanded significantly over the recent years, though the progress in trade and economic cooperation remains limited due to the lack of feasible transport connectivity and a low activity of Indian businesses.

Keywords: Индия, Центральная Азия, Закавказье, Central Asia, India, ШОС, политическое пространство, Евразия, Eurasia, political space, SCO, Transcaucasia