Contents: Preface. 1. Central Asia since Ozodi: an appraisal/Devendra Kaushik. 2. Neutral Turkmenistan: ten years of independence/Ondjik Musayev. 3. Kyrgyzstan's struggle for democracy and stability/Rafis Abazov. 4. State-building in Kazakhstan: review of a decade's experience/Ajay Patnaik. 5. Foreign Policy of the Republic of Kazakhstan/Bulat Sultanov. 6. Central Asia: managing inter-ethnic relations/P.L Dash. 7. Central Asian Republics' quest for security in the post-Soviet period/Mohammad Monir Alam. 8. Afghanistan and Central Asian Republics 1991-1996/K. Warikoo. 9. Uzbek-Indian relations/Fatih Teshabaev. 10. India-Uzbekistan relations during the 1990s and future prospects/Shri Prakash. 11. Central Asia-Iran relations/S.P. Singh. 12. Tajikistan and the Afghan Cauldron/Sheel K. Asopa. 13. Politics and society in Tajikistan in the aftermath of the Civil War/Suchandana Chatterjee. 14. Regional cooperation in Central Asia: some perspectives/M.N. Sabirov. 15. Region, regionalization, regionalism: the "myth" of Tsentralnaya Aziia revisited/Anita Sengupta. 16. Economic integration in Central Asia: problems and prospects/Leila Muzaparova. 17. USA--Caspian-Central Asian Region: new realities/Laura Yerekesheva. 18. Caspian region: the unending conflicts/R.G. Gidadhubli. 19. Steady socio-economic growth in Uzbekistan/A. Gafurov and A. Urinov. 20. Structural changes in the economy and policy of Uzbekistan/A. Gafurov, D. Hakimov and A. Urinov. 21. Tajikistan: problems of social development/Kh. Umarov and J. Makhmadshoev. 22. Ecology and development in Central Asia/Shodimurod Dustoboev. Contributors. "The disintegration of former USSR and the subsequent emergence of independent Central Asian Republics, changed the balance of power in this region. Due to its geographical proximity to China, Russia, West Asia and South Asia, this region emerged as a distinct geopolitical entity stimulating global attention and interest. These Republics which passed through a delicate stage of transformation into a new political, social and economic order, have successfully completed their transition into sovereign independent statehood. Ethnic complexities in Central Asia, ethno-religious resurgence and adverse impact of Afghanistan crisis, cross-border terrorism, bloody Civil War in Tajikistan, problems of nation building, transition to market economy, infrastructure development, democratization, competition for pipeline routes and energy resources have been the key issues in post-Soviet Central Asia. The study presents an integrated view of the momentous changes taking place in the five Central Asian Republics since their independence. Whole range of issues related to the experience of these Republics in their nation-building, democratization, economic development, regional cooperation, building of bilateral and multi-lateral relationships, impact of Afghanistan crisis over the developments in Central Asia etc. have been analysed in depth. The book not only consolidates the Indian scholarly contributions in the field of Central Asian studies, but also provides the Central Asian perspectives as presented by the scholars from Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.