India’s Trade with Central Asia: Trends and Prospects

Abstract

Although the countries of Central Asia have been integrated in the global economy, their economic relations with India have been declined significantly. India’s BOT with all Central Asian countries (except Uzbekistan) had been favourable during 1993- 2009. Indian exports as well as imports from Central Asia are highly concentrated around few commodities during same period. Moreover, the Central Asia’s role in selected Indian exports as well as imports was not so strong and in fact negligible. There has been found very low trade of India with Central Asian countries. This is due to many reasons but lack of economic and financial sector reforms in some of these countries is one of the basic reasons. The other factors of this low trade are lack of direct transport links, poor infrastructure, inadequate banking facilities and tax structure, competition by Russia, China and USA etc. India can increase trade relations with Central Asia and also can play a multi- dimensional role in the development of these former Soviet Republics. Recently these economies have grown up; therefore good economic relations of India with Central Asia can boost their trade.