The text is asking about the lasting effects of the former control of the Soviets over Central Asia and of the British over South Asia.
"Central Asia" refers to the region in the middle of the Asian continent, including countries such as Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan. "Soviets" refers to the Soviet Union, which was a communist state that existed from 1922 to 1991 and included many countries, including Russia and the Central Asian countries mentioned above. "Control" in this context refers to the political and economic influence that the Soviet Union had over these countries during the time that they were part of the Soviet Union.
"South Asia" refers to the southern region of the Asian continent, including countries such as India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. "British" refers to the United Kingdom, which had colonial control over many countries in South Asia from the 18th century until the mid-20th century. "Control" in this context refers to the political and economic