Strategic Competition & External Influence
External powers shape political, economic, and security dynamics across Central Asia and the South Caucasus in significant ways. Our research analyzes the strategies, tools, and leverage employed by external actors, including Russia, China, Iran, Turkey, and the United States, and how Central Asian states navigate and respond to competing pressures. Focusing on how great power competition affects regional sovereignty, stability, and economic development our work highlights opportunities for deeper U.S. engagement in the region.
Navigating Between Great Powers
Central Asian states do not passively accept great power influence. Instead, they actively play external actors against each other to maximize autonomy and extract concessions. Understanding these strategies is essential for U.S. policymakers seeking to build durable partnerships.
A Crowded Field
Russia and China are not the only powers shaping regional dynamics. Turkey, Iran, India, and Gulf states all pursue distinct objectives through economic investment, military cooperation, and diplomatic outreach. These overlapping, and occasionally competing, engagements create a complex environment where regional states have more options and external powers face more constraints than simple frameworks acknowledge.
Projects
A New U.S.-Central Asia Strategy
Great Power and Regional Competition
All articles
Workstream Team
Dania Arayssi
Senior Analyst
Charles Walsh
Program Head and Analyst, Transnational Repression
Justin Burke
Resident Senior Fellow