On "Talking Point," StratNews Global Associate Editor Amitabh P. Revi. discussed the interplay of interests in Central Asia with Samantha Custer, AidData's Director of Policy Analysis and co-author of a new report, Corridors of Power: How Beijing uses economic, social, and network ties to extert influence along the Silk Road. Ambassador Asoke Mukerji, India's Former Permanent Representative to the UN and Ex-Envoy to Kazakhstan, who opened India’s first Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan Embassies in 1992, joined the discussion.

The panelists explored a variety of timely topics, including an extensive new study from AidData on Chinese public diplomacy efforts, from financing and education to culture and social media, in the Central Asia region; how Beijing has used this broad and diverse toolkit to cultivate economic and soft power influence; a series of recent Indian foreign policy engagements, including reported plans to invite the Presidents of all five Central Asian countries for Republic Day in 2022; the Foreign Minister's meeting in Delhi for the 3rd India-Central Asia Dialogue from December 18-20; the National Security Advisors from C-5 countries attending a regional meet hosted by India in November on the situation in Afghanistan; and the fluid interplay between the interests of China, Russia, India, the U.S., Turkey and Iran in the region.