Central Asia: Democracy, Instability and Strategic Game in Kyrgyzstan

P. Stobdan
Archive data: Person was Senior Fellow at IDSA from January 1993 to December 2018 Ambassador (Prof.) P. Stobdan is a distinguished academician, diplomat, author and foreign policy expert. He has… Continue reading Central Asia: Democracy, Instability and Strategic Game in Kyrgyzstan read more
Publisher: Pentagon Press
ISBN 978-81-8274-752-4
Price: ₹. 995/- Purchase Download E-copy

About the Book

Central Asia remains both stable and unpredictable after 20 years of its reemergence. The states here continue to undergo complex nation-building process, which is far from complete, but they firmly remain insulated by Russia and but more increasingly so by China. Only Kyrgyzstan has so far uniquely followed a liberal polity, but this young country had to cope with two revolutions before achieving a parliamentary democracy in 2010. However, the institution of democracy remains weak because of some difficult and intricate internal and external challenges i.e., economic, ethnic, Islamic, narcotic along with convoluted strategic games played by major powers in Kyrgyzstan. It is the only country in the world that hosts military bases of both Russia and the United States. The country retains strong Chinese economic influence. The book is an attempt to provide an overview of political and strategic processes at work in the region by taking the case of Kyrgyzstan – tracing the events erupted since 2005 and more after 2010. It contains aspects of India’s engagement in Kyrgyzstan and throws light on India’s newly launched ‘Connect Central Asia’ policy.

About the Author

Ambassador (Prof) P. Stobdan is a distinguished academician, diplomat, author and national security expert. He is a specialist on Asian affairs covering China, Central Asia and High Asia. He served in Central Asia twice. His last diplomatic assignment was in Bishkek where has served as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of India to Kyrgyzstan. He also served as Joint Director in the National Security Council and Director/Professor of the Centre for Strategic and Regional Studies at the University of Jammu. He is currently a Senior Fellow at the Institute for Defence Studies & Analysis, New Delhi.

Contents

Preface

Introduction

  1. The Kyrgyz Revolution
    The Tulip Revolution
    The Key Factors
    Not a Genuine Revolution
    The July Election
    The External Dimension
    The Challenges Ahead
    Reverse Tulip Revolution
    New Challenges
  2. Ethnic Divide: The Osh Riots
    Strategic Dimension: Role of Russia?
    The Aftermath
    The Kyrgyzstan Inquiry Commission (KIC)
    Kyrgyz Bellicose Response
    The Parliamentary Commission (PC)
    First Anniversary
    Conclusion
  3. Parliamentary Democracy
    Kyrgyz Parliament (Zhogorku Kenesh)
    Parliamentary Election
    Formation of New Government
    Role of Roza Otunbayeva
    Regional Impact
    Conclusion
  4. First Democratic Presidential Election
    The Election
    New History
    Atambayev’s Agenda
    Russia: Main Strategic Partner
    US Airbase: Dangerous Target for Iranian Missiles
    Challenges Ahead
    Conclusion
  5. Islamic Extremism
    Extremism and Politics
    Islamisation of Kyrgyzstan
  6. National Security Concept
    External Threats
    Internal Threats
  7. Politics of Hydropower
    Multilateral Mechanisms
    Geo-Political Issues
    Kambar-Ata Projects
    CASA 1000 (Central Asia-South Asia): Exploring Export Potentials
    Who will Control CASA 1000?
  8. External Relations
    Kazakhstan
    Uzbekistan
    Tajikistan
    Pakistan
    Iran
  9. Russian Interests in Kyrgyzstan
    Kambar-Ata
    Joint Russian Military Base (JRMB)
    Kyrgyz Debts to Russia
    Transnational Corporation Dastan OJSC
    The post-2014 Security Scenario
    10. Kyrgyz-US Relations: Politics of Airbase
    Politics and Diplomacy over Manas Transit Centre
    New Challenge for the US
    Military Base to Fuel Supply Contract
    Fresh Diplomacy over Transit Centre
    Beyond the Transit Centre
    Profiting from the Drawdown
  10. The Chinese Forays
    Railway Connectivity
    Energy Deals
    Selling Soft Power
    Security Nexus
    Kyrgyz Resentment
    China-Eurasia Trade Initiative
    Conclusion
  11. The Indo-Kyrgyz Relations
    Historical Relations
    Contemporary Relations
    Institutional Relations
    Trade
    Investments
    Line of Credit
    Assistance Programmes
    Disaster Relief and Humanitarian Aid
    Potato Processing Plant
    Technical Cooperation
    Civil Aviation
    Education and Culture
    Defence Cooperation
    The Kyrgyz-India Mountain Bio-Medical Research Centre (KIMBMRC)
    Ties with Kyrgyz Defence Industry
    ULAN Open Joint-Stock Company
    Future Prospects
  12. India’s “Connect Central Asia” Policy
  13. Conclusion: Emerging Trends in Central Asia

Annexures
1. Kyrgyzstan Inquiry Commission (KIC)
2. Kyrgyz Response to Story by the Economist
3. Non Paper : The Candidature of the Kyrgyz Republic for a Non-permanent Seat of the United Nations Security Council
4. Blake’s Testimony on U.S. Engagement in Central Asia
5. Keynote address by MOS Shri E. Ahamad at the First India-Central Asia Dialogue

Index