Introduction

Eurasia is a vast land mass extending from the Caspian to western China, an area stretching from the Urals to the Great Mountain Arc in the west formed by the Altai, Tien Shan, the Pamir, the Hindukush and the Kopet Dagh running through the vast steppes and deserts in between. The vastness of Eurasia suits high-tech mega-projects of infrastructure development. Over the years, Russian interest in Eurasia has been on the increase. It seems to have gained an upper hand in present-day Russian politics. The Russian leadership remains torn between westernisers and Eurasianists. India has a long history of interaction with the Eurasian region which is in proximity to our land and continues to be of vital interest even in the present times. The British colonial power was conscious of the Indian historical links with Central Asia and the Caspian region and did not hesitate to promote its strategic and geopolitical goals.