One major trouble for India in dealing with Uzbekistan and other central asian republics is that there are no direct land links between modern India and these countries. Moreover, Pakistan has made sure that India effectively stays away from central asia by not allowing transit to Indian goods or to Indians. While good economic and especially energy ties with Central Asia will help, I believe that Indian govt's focus, given its limited clout and financial ability, should be directed much more towards South East Asia. This region, unlike the dusty, frosty, unstable central asia, is actually politically stable and economically happening. Moreover, due to our warm relations with Burma and a huge border we share, South East Asia can become the carrier of economic prosperity and political stability in the North-East and East India (just as the Thai pm pointed out few months ago). Thus, given India's limited resources, India should focus on ASEAN a lot more than Central Asia.
