Tracing India’s Journey from Ancient Exchanges to Changing Dimensions with Central Asia

India’s engagement with Central Asia has evolved significantly, transitioning from ancient trade and cultural exchanges along the Silk Road—where Indian merchants and the spread of Buddhism played key roles—to modern diplomatic, economic, and strategic partnerships. Following the dissolution of the USSR, India swiftly recognized the newly independent Central Asian republics and established diplomatic ties. In recent years, India has advanced several initiatives to strengthen its regional presence, including connectivity projects like the International North–South Transport Corridor and the Chabahar Port, energy cooperation through uranium agreements with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, and enhanced defense and security collaboration via joint military exercises and counterterrorism efforts. Despite facing challenges such as geopolitical competition, security concerns, and infrastructure limitations, India’s historical ties and contemporary policies form a strong basis for deepening engagement, promoting economic growth, regional stability, and strategic cooperation. By following this path from historical ties to current strategic goals, the article makes the case that India’s strategy for Central Asia demonstrates a purposeful amalgamation of pragmatic geopolitics and cultural heritage, establishing it as a significant player in the future of the region. This study addresses the following research questions: How has India’s engagement with Central Asia evolved from ancient cultural and trade exchanges to contemporary strategic partnerships? What the primary challenges are that hinder deeper India–Central Asia relations, along with how India can leverage historical ties to overcome them in the context of modern geopolitics?