Russia’s geopolitical strategy is increasingly preoccupied with the geography of its southern and eastern borders.

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China’s growing footprint in South and Central Asia has been made possible by the influx of grants, loans, mergers, and economic concessions for projects.

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South Korea and Tajikistan signed an agreement recently to start a feasibility study for a rail route that would connect Tajikistan via Afghanistan to routes both east and west.

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Intense competition, epitomized by competing “corridors,” is emerging in Asia and beyond between the U.S., China, and Russia. 

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Concern has gripped policymakers in Uzbekistan and Mongolia over how to balance Russia, China, and the West amid rising tension over Ukraine and an unstable Afghanistan.

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Afghanistan is emerging as a key transit point for Russian oil as the Kremlin seeks to establish new trade routes to Asia and the Middle East.

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What did U.K. Foreign Secretary David Cameron’s trip across Central Asia achieve?

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David Cameron is on a six-nation tour of Central Asia, underscoring the U.K.’s reinvigorated engagement with the region. 

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In June 2023, Russia sent gas supplies to Pakistan through Uzbekistan and Afghanistan for the first time. But it may not be the start of a vibrant trade.

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For Kazakhstan, the secondary sanctions risk is not just hypothetical.

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The two countries, faced with sanctions and political isolation, are not completely isolated from global networks.

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For Kazakhstan, supporting economic development along the north-south axis would see Afghanistan becoming a bridge, not a barrier. 

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China seeks easier trade access to European markets by developing its rail network with Kazakhstan and trialing the Middle Corridor.

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Afghanistan announced plans to expand its air corridors as it seeks to reconnect to world markets, but significant challenges loom.

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Railway transportation re-opened from Uzbekistan to Afghanistan after a recent suspension was lifted, but key questions remain.

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Rail routes are all the rage, as the SCO gathers. Keep an eye out for new agreements on regional transit routes.

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The Trans-Afghan railway project is gathering momentum as Uzbekistan seeks access to Pakistan’s ports. But can the project overcome security, geographic, and financial hurdles?

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If Kazakhstan’s multi-vector foreign — and energy — policies are to be successful, Tokayev will need to shrewdly balance the country’s partners.  

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Uzbekistan is leveraging its partnership with China to address the logistical and geographic challenges it faces.

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While Kazakhstan has the potential to be an influential player in the global grain economy, it needs to first overcome domestic and logistic challenges.

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The Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) pipeline project seems to have far more going against it than pushing in its favor.

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Uzbekistan’s position in the middle of Central Asia is a source of strength but also vulnerability.

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