Ayushi Saini is a Research Consultant at Chintan Research Foundation, specialising in Central Asia. Her work focuses on India–Central Asia relations, regional connectivity, and regional frameworks in Eurasia, particularly the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).
She is currently a PhD candidate at the Centre for Russian and Central Asian Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, where her doctoral research examines the ecological impact of China’s Belt and Road Initiative in Kazakhstan. She has been a Visiting Fellow at MGIMO University, Moscow, and a Visiting Researcher at Ohio State University, Columbus.
Her publications cover diverse themes including social capital in Central Asia, India–Kazakhstan cooperation in rare earth elements, and India–Uzbekistan medical diplomacy. She serves as a peer reviewer for the Journal of Asian Security and International Affairs and the Journal of Central Asian Studies.
