China-India Competition in Central Asia and Its Impact on Iran's National Interests

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 phd candidate, political geography, Islamic Azad University of Science and Research, Tehran, Iran

2 Assistant Professor, Political Geography, Islamic Azad University of Science and Research, Tehran, Iran

3 Associate Professor, Political Geography, Tarbiat Modares University Tehran Iran

Abstract

Central Asia has become one of the main areas of global competition due to its energy resources and strategic location. China, with its global project, the Belt and Road Initiative, and India, by developing diplomatic and economic relations with the countries of this region, are seeking to increase their influence. In addition to affecting the economic and security policies of the region, this competition also has important consequences for the national resources of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Iran, as one of the neighbors of this region and the holder of huge energy resources, can, on the one hand, exploit the economic and commercial opportunities arising from this competition, and on the other hand, faces challenges in the field of regional security and maintaining its energy interests. The research method in this article is descriptive-analytical and based on library and documentary sources.The conclusion of this article is that the competition between China and India in Central Asia, in addition to changing the balance of power in the region, creates economic and political opportunities for Iran, but at the same time it also brings serious challenges. These challenges can manifest themselves in the form of a decrease in Iran's role in providing energy to the region, an increase in the influence of trans-regional countries in Iran's neighborhood, and security issues such as the expansion of the military presence of major powers.The article suggests that Iran can consolidate its role and maintain and strengthen its national interests by strengthening regional diplomacy

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

  • منابع

    ب: انگلیسی

    • Ariana News (2024). Construction of Afghanistan section of TAPI gas pipeline launched, in: https://www.ariananews.af/construction-of-afghanistan-section-of-tapi-gas-pipeline-launched/
    • Barari Reykandeh, Kh. & Mozaffari Falarti, M. (2023). Central Asian Republics: India's Shifting Foreign Policy Landscape under Narendra Modi. Journal of Iran and Central Eurasia Studies, 6 (1), 15-28. DOI: http//doi.org/10.22059/JICES.2023.95140.
    • Cooley, Alexander (2012). Great Games, Local Rules: The New Great Power Contest in Central Asia. Oxford University Press, p. 45-53.
    • Chen, L. (2020). China's Energy Security: Current Challenges and Future Strategies. Energy Policy, p. 12.
    • Blank, Stephen (2013). China’s Silk Road Initiative: Strategic Implications for the Central Asian Region, Journal of International Affairs, Vol. 22, No. 1, pp. 25-40, p. 30-31.
    • CNPC, (2023). China National Petroleum Corporation reports. In:  https://www.cnpc.com.cn/en/2020Turkmenistan/2020Turkmenistan.shtml
    • Feldman, I. (2018). Energy Security in the Central Asian Region: Perspectives of China and India. Central Asian Affairs, p. 110.
    • Khan, M. A. (2019). China and India in Central Asia: A geopolitical competition. Journal of Central Asian Studies, 22(1), 15-30.
    • Kazantsev, A. (2019). Central Asia: The Heart of Energy Security. Asian Affairs, 50(1).
    • Kaczmarski, M. (2019). The EU and the US in Central Asia: A Comparative Perspective. Journal of Eurasian Studies, 10(1)
    • Kumar, Sanjay (2017). Energy Security and India’s Foreign Policy. Routledge, p. 45-47.
    • IEA (2023). International Energy Agency publications, in: https://www.iea.org/reports/world-energy-outlook-2023
    • Mearsheimer, J. J. (2014). The Tragedy of Great Power Politics. W. Norton & Company, p. 56.
    • Morgenthau, H. J. (2005). Politics Among Nations: The Struggle for Power and Peace. McGraw-Hill, p. 131.
    • Paul, T. V. (2005). Balance of Power: Theory and Practice in the 21st Century. Stanford University Press, p. 142.
    • Rahmany, Aabid Rahman. (2024). The Geopolitical Implications of the TAPI Pipeline for Regional Stability in Afghanistan. In: https://doi.org/10.36948/ijfmr.2024.v06i06.31615.
    • Rumer, E. (2016). The Future of U.S. Policy in Central Asia: A Strategic Perspective. The National Interest.
    • World Bank Report (2022). Trade and Investment in Central Asia: Opportunities and Challenges, World Bank.
    • Zhao, Huasheng (2021). China’s Role in Central Asia’s Security and Economic Development. Brookings Institution, p. 12-22.
    • Zhu, H. (2020). The China-India rivalry in Central Asia: Geopolitical and economic implications. Asian Survey, 60(3), 431-454.
    • Zhang, Y. (2020). China’s Belt and Road Initiative in Central Asia: Opportunities and Challenges. Asian Journal of Comparative Politics, 6(1), 35-50.
    • Waltz, K. N. (1979). Theory of International Politics. Addison-Wesley, p. 88.
    • Walt, S. M. (1998). International Relations: A Realist Approach. Columbia University Press, p. 218.

    COPYRIGHTS

    2025 by the authors. Published by The National Defense University. This article is an open-access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics