Immortalised by Kipling in 1901, at a time when Central Asia was seen by many strategists as the geopolitical centre of the world, now, in the early part of another century, 'The Great Game' is on again.

Fact-finding missions are often driven by a quest for grand ideas, especially of the type that looks good when you present on them on return. They mightn't ultimately lead anywhere, but they can be helpful to promotion in the short term.