Central Asia, rich in resources including oil and gas, attracts geo-strategic attention from China, Russia and other great powers. The population for Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan combined is about 70 million – largely Muslim with a diverse mix of ethnicites whose historical roots cross borders. The region was the heart of the Silk Road centuries ago and is central for modern trade and connections once again.

Indians who embrace globalization, whether in business or politics, find great success. Author and journalist Dilip Hiro describes the “profound transformation” for the country’s 1.25 billion people over the past two decades in his most recent book The Age of Aspiration: Power, Wealth, and Conflict in Globalizing India. Focus on education increased literacy, economic growth, rising living standards and technological prowess.