nCa Report The idea of the Silk Road has always been larger than trade. Historically, it was a network through which ideas, technologies, cultures and innovations travelled across Eurasia. Today, the emerging Digital Silk Road seeks to perform a similar function for the twenty-first century, creating pathways for data, digital services, artificial intelligence, cloud … [Read more...]
Central Asia’s Quiet Confidence: Forging a “New” Regional Identity in Turbulent Times
Tariq Saeedi In an era defined by great-power rivalry, supply chain disruptions, and climate upheaval, Central Asia is refusing to be a passive bystander. Once dismissed as a post-Soviet periphery or a theater for the latest “Great Game,” the region—comprising Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan—is increasingly viewing itself as a cohesive … [Read more...]
nCa has launched a new product line – Strategic Intelligence Briefs (SIBs)
We have launched a new product line – Strategic Intelligence Briefs (SIBs). The first Brief (SIB-001) is available already. Turkmenistan is shifting from pure gas exporter to a regional Connectivity Hub — deliberately linking Central Asia, Caspian, Middle East, and South Asia. In H1 2026, transport, energy, digital customs, industry, and diplomacy started operating as one … [Read more...]
Kabul Think-Tank Forum Reflects Growing Economic Convergence Between Afghanistan and Central Asia
nCa Report The first Forum of Strategic Studies Centers and Think Tanks of Afghanistan, Central Asia and Azerbaijan, held in Kabul on 16 June, has provided another indication that relations between Afghanistan and its northern neighbours are entering a more structured and institutional phase. While official information on the forum remains limited and a complete list of … [Read more...]
Journalism Is Not Dying — It Is Becoming
nCa Analysis There is a peculiar comfort in obituaries. They offer finality, a neat narrative arc, closure. For the better part of two decades, journalism has been the subject of a long and dramatic one. "The press is dying." "Newspapers are dead." "AI will replace the reporter." These pronouncements, delivered with the gravity of eulogies, have filled column inches — often … [Read more...]
nCa Special Report – Turkmenistan Iodine Industry Report
Just released – Turkmenistan Iodine Industry Report Turkmenistan stands at a strategic inflection point in the global iodine industry. The country currently produces approximately 500–525 metric tons of iodine annually — ranking it among the world's top producers — yet its participation in value chains remains almost entirely confined to the low-margin sale of … [Read more...]
nCa Special Report – Eurasian Corridors in an Era of Strategic Fragmentation
Just released – nCa Special Report ‘Eurasian Corridors in an Era of Strategic Fragmentation.’ With raging chaos around Middle East and West Asia, the Hormuz and Red Sea disruptions, sanctions, and supply chain fragility, this report delivers clear-eyed analysis of Eurasian corridors — their real potential, structural limits, and resilience value. Essential reading for … [Read more...]
The Quiet Transformation of Central Asia
Tariq Saeedi There is a paradox at the heart of Central Asian geopolitics that rarely gets the attention it deserves. For nearly two centuries, the region was treated as an object of history rather than a subject of it — shaped by Russian imperial cartography, then Soviet planning, then the post-Cold War security frameworks of Washington and Beijing. Outside powers came, … [Read more...]
War on Iran – Part Twenty-Six: The Price of Uncertainty – How the On-Again, Off-Again Iran Talks are Fracturing the Global Economy
Tariq Saeedi The world has grown wearily accustomed to the rhythm of American diplomacy under Donald Trump — a lurching, unpredictable cadence that alternates between the theatrics of engagement and the blunt instrument of maximum pressure. Nowhere has this rhythm been more damaging, or more globally consequential, than in the protracted drama surrounding Iran. As Part … [Read more...]
The Question Before the Answer: Diplomacy and the Power of Words
Tariq Saeedi I once knew someone who was, simultaneously, my mentor and my tormentor. He had a habit of teaching through ambush. One afternoon, after a long stretch of silence between us, he shifted in his seat and said, almost casually, “We should not kill the horse in the afternoon.” The remark landed without context, abrupt and unsettling. I took the bait. “When … [Read more...]
Turkmenistan State Budget Comparative Analysis (2022-2026)
Overview This analysis compares Turkmenistan's state budgets across five years (2022-2026), showing the growth trajectory of various budget categories. Table 1: Overall State Budget Summary Category20222023202420252026State Budget Total (million manat)85,619.295,117.7102,313.5123,798.1131,845.1State Budget Total (US$ billion)24.4627.1729.2335.3737.67Growth from … [Read more...]
Trump returns to White House – A quick look at his inaugural speech – some implications for Central Asia
Tariq Saeedi Donald John Trump was sworn-in as the 47th President of the United States on 20 January 2025. This is his second term in office. He served the first term 2017-2021. The non-consecutive second term in White House is always considered an impressive feat in the American politics. During his election night victory party, Trump declared that “America has given us an … [Read more...]
Is the US Dollar heading toward collapse? – Part One
Tariq Saeedi Is the US Dollar heading toward collapse? --- For some it is an ardent desire and for others it is a worrisome possibility. The fact is the greenback has lately been in troubled waters. However, as of now, its collapse is more of a theoretical inference. What happens to the dollar and what the dollar does to itself, is a matter where the analysts generally … [Read more...]
Bankruptcy of trucking giant Yellow Corp. and vital lessons for Central Asia
nCa Analysis The American trucking giant Yellow Corp. (previously known as YRC Worldwide) is declaring bankruptcy and it has sent shockwaves across the transportation industry and the e-commerce world. With its workforce of more than 30000, Yellow was the third largest small-freight company in the transportation sector in the USA, specializing in low-cost transportation of … [Read more...]