The Geostrategic Role of Afghanistan in Connecting Central Asia with South Asia

Afghanistan is one of the few countries in the world that holds an exceptionally important geostrategic position for linking various geographic regions of Asia and beyond Geostrategically located at one of the most sensitive points in the world, Afghanistan connects four major regions of Asia: Central Asia, East Asia, West Asia, and South Asia. Among these, its role in connecting Central Asia and South Asia is of particular and outstanding significance. Recognizing the importance of this issue, the present study seeks to answer the following question: What role does Afghanistan's geostrategic position play in connecting Central Asia with South Asia? The hypothesis of this research is that Afghanistan, by virtue of its central location in Asia and its substantial capacities in political, security, economic, and cultural dimensions, can play a key role in facilitating and completing the process of integration between Central and South Asia. This includes fostering convergence in these dimensions and improving the level of stability and the quality of life for the citizens of both regions. Ultimately, such integration may contribute not only to better living conditions for the people of Central and South Asia but also to broader regional stability across both regions and the Asian continent as a whole. This study is conducted through a synthesis of Mackinder's Heartland Theory and the concept of New Regionalism. Methodologically, the research is applied in terms of its objective, descriptive-analytical in nature, and relies on documentary and library-based methods for data collection.