Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
neighborhood. Indeed, shortly after the Taliban's takeover in Afghanistan in
1996 when it became evident that Kabul was harboring terrorists whose targets
extended around the region, India and Russia sought ways to monitor and control
terrorist organizations with ties to Islamic radicalism. As the Taliban's chief
regional supporter, Pakistan was viewed as heavily contributing to regional
instability and part of the larger problem.
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Vis-à-vis
the Taliban in Afghanistan, Russia and India shared the objective of
containing the Taliban's strand of political Islam with the Iranian government,
which was wary from geopolitical and religious perspectives. However, India
seems to have become unconvinced about the ability of the Russians to mount
any serious effort against terrorism in the area, and instead had begun looking to
the US as a more potent partner.
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The Russian-Indian (and to a degree Iranian) coincidence of interests also
extends to the Central Asian area where Pakistan and Turkey are viewed as
competitors in Russia's traditional sphere of interest. The geo-economics of
Central Asia (gas and oil reserves) has predictably brought in the US as well
which does not want to cede the fate of the region's wealth to the neighboring
powers, Iran and Russia.
While not very active, the American policy objective has been to separate and
insulate Central Asia's economic interests from Russia. This has had the exact
opposite effect on the Russians who find it all the more reason to remain engaged
in the region.
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Meanwhile, the Chinese have been increasingly insinuating
themselves into Central Asia, lured by the energy supplies which they
desperately require in the future, and mindful of the need to have a buffer of
friendly states on its sensitive western borders across Xinjinag, where it is
confronting Islamic radicalism and separatism.
In 1996, Russia, China and the three bordering Central Asian states of
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan formed The Shanghai Five, a formal
structure aimed at confidence building measures on the borders and other forms
of cooperation. The group has had its share of tensions, especially as the Central
Asian states' relations with China became more bilateral in nature, to the dismay
of Russia.
The China Factor
Although Russia, India and China have a common fear of Islamic militancy
within their borders and separatist threats, regional competition also
weighs heavily and militates against making a common cause that would be
trusted by all three. In terms of the regional dynamics, Russia and India share
similar concerns about the potential threat that China could pose, though clearly
not to the same degree.
