The Eurasian supercontinent has again assumed importance in world politics in the context of the declining power of the USA, the rise of India and China and Russia’s return to global geopolitics. At the same time, ‘connectivity’ has become the catchphrase in the supercontinent, thanks to China’s aggressive pushing of its Belt Road Initiative (BRI). This article examines India’s approaches to connectivity projects in Eurasia, including those in its immediate neighbourhood. It argues that India’s approach to connectivity-related cooperation ideas in the region like the BRI is not uniform despite the economic advantages some of these projects offer. India appears to view such projects to a significant extent through the prism of geostrategic and security interests. Finally, it examines the implications of India’s approach to connectivity for India as well as the broader region.
Russia has re-emerged as a major player in the Middle East once again, mainly because of its military intervention in the Syrian civil war in September 2015. This article throws light on Russia’s civilizational links with the region and what its aims in the region have been over the years, including the during Cold War. While Russia’s foreign policy towards the Middle East was passive in the tumultuous years following the fall of the Soviet Union, over the last few years, it has begun reorienting and recalibrating its policy towards the region. This article discusses Russia’s current aims in the region and its global ambitions, linking these to its intervention in the Syrian civil war, paying particular attention to the close ties that Russia has with Syria. This article attempts to explore whether Russia’s presence in the region is sustainable. It also explains the consequences of Russia’s intervention for the region and for Russia itself.
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