The Dynamics of Great-Power Politics in a Volatile Region of Central Asia

Emerging strategic trends in Central Asia are part of an overarching strategic construct that has been evolving since the end of the Cold War. Central Asia has emerged as a pivotal arena of international security, with an enhanced strategic significance that has superseded the region‟s geographic isolation and geopolitical marginalization. Security in Central Asia is now a key factor in the broader calculus of Russian, Chinese, and American interests. During the 24 years of independence, security environment in Central Asia has been changing drastically, with changes in strategies and alliances. This region is acquiring day by day more geostrategic importance due, among other things, to the situation in Afghanistan, to their natural resources, hydrocarbons specially, and their localization among Europe and Asia, US, Russia and China. This fight for gaining the complete influence in the region is known with the term “new great game”.