Research Proposal
India in South Asia: Interests and Challenges
Introduction
The proposed study is about understanding the interest and challenges of India in South Asia.
In order to become a global power, a nation must ensure the primacy in its own region.
India’s potential to become a principal power of Asia depends on its ability to engage with its
immediate neighbours. By virtue of its fundamental position in the region, India acts as a key
player by providing strategic stability to the region along with pursuing its national interest.
India aims to establish itself as a global power where its neighbourhood plays a major role.
India occupies a unique position in South Asia. By the virtue of its size, location, and
economic potential, India assumes a natural leadership role in the region. The Indian culture,
geography and historical experiences of colonial rule and freedom movements extend beyond
its national frontiers clearly penetrating South Asia.
A more integrated South Asia would have a stronger voice and regional organizations
like SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) and BIMSTEC (Bay of
Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) provide
multilateral, regional forums to India. India’s engagements with different sub-regional forum
are driven by various strategic imperatives. Some of the major policy initiatives guiding
India’s current regional approach involve the BIMSTEC, the ‘Neighbourhood First Policy’,
‘Act East policy’ and the’ Indo Pacific’ construct.
In South Asia, there are strategic sea routes, mineral reserves and natural resources
that the growing India’s needs. India has economic interests in this region as trade has a
wider scope in the subcontinent; it even provides easy and near access to markets to India and
facilitates economic cooperation with its neighbours. India needs road links through
Bangladesh for its ‘Act East policy’, Bhutan and Nepal for hydroelectricity and minerals, Sri
Lanka for developing fishing lines and above all cooperation with Pakistan in countering
terrorism. It is also true that all these nations of South Asia should rely on India as their
regional security guarantee. Countering growing power of China makes it unavoidable for
India to go for strategic consolidation. Culturally, there are many similarities in traditions,
festivities, dressing sense and food habits between India and other South Asian nations.
Power plants like ARUN III hydropower plant in north-eastern Nepal is financed by Indian
government and it is the largest India backed hydropower project in Nepal. Further, India
provides relief aid to its neighbours, such as Nepal and Bangladesh, etc. during their natural
calamities.
Despite engagements and cooperation with countries in South Asia, India has many
conflicts with them. The over-bearing presence of a neighbour with aspiration for global
leadership has been a source of apprehensions for the South Asian countries. Most
neighbouring nations often accuse India acting as a ‘big brother’ in the region. These
countries consider India unnecessarily interfering in their affairs. India’s relation with its
South Asian neighbours is characterized by numerous bilateral contentions. India favours a
bilateral dialogue for addressing these concerns, while the neighbours like Pakistan demand a
multilateral approach for instance resolving longstanding Kashmir issue. India claims a
leadership position for itself while its South Asian neighbours accuse it of exercising
dominance in the region. As Indian policies with regard to the liberation movement in
Bangladesh in 1971, the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka in 1987 and the attempted military coup
in the Maldives in 1988 are cited as an illustration of India’s dominating nature in the region.
Also, China’s growing inroads into the Bay of Bengal sub-region and the wider Indian Ocean
region (under China’s Belt and Road initiative) poses strategic challenges for India.
Thus, some of the South Asian nations perceive India as a threat to their autonomy,
sovereignty and integrity. They are sometimes bound together by anti- India sentiments,
which reduce both political and economic opportunities to India in this region. Allegations of
high import tariffs and a trade surplus with India pose a hurdle. For instance, despite having
potential for being the major powerhouse of economic creativity and enterprise and
favourable geography, the region is least integrated region in the world with intra regional
trade accounting for around 5 percent of South Asia’s total trade. The root cause of some of
India’s challenges in the region, which create a threat to India’s security and integrity such as
terrorism, illegal immigrants, Naxalite and Maoist activities can be traced in its neighbours
such as Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal respectively. India is constantly in river water
disputes with friends next door. However peaceful resolution of India- Bangladesh border
issues in the form of land swap agreement in 2015 provides future hope. As rightly coined by
India’s former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee that “friends can be changed, but not
neighbours who have to live together”.
Viewing each other through the lens of suspicion and perceptions of respective South
Asian countries in India and vice-versa are one of the major hurdles in addressing bilateral
and regional challenges which India faces. It is said that the secret of success and
development of any nation is because of the support of its neighbouring countries. As we can
take the example of the People’s Republic of China, which has become a significant
economic power in today’s world because of having relatively better ties with the East and
South-east Asian nations both politically and economically.
However, in the context of India, South Asia can become India’s stepping stone
towards its aspiration to become a global power. Thus, keeping in mind all the above points it
is only pertinent to understand about interest and challenges of India in South Asia.
Key words: South Asia, National Interest, challenges, great power, geo-political
Review of the Literature
To examine India’s interests in South Asia and challenges and in order to make the study
more coherent, the review of the literature can be categorized under the following themes:
National Interest in International Relations
National Interest remains one of the most debated concepts in International Relations. It
assumes a variety of meanings in various contexts in which it is used which cannot be
reconciled and results in ambiguity. Sometimes ambiguity arises from the adjective ‘national’
itself which refers both to the nation as a social group and to the state which denotes a
political organization. The history of the concept of national interest goes back to the earliest
stages of the evolution of modern state system in sixteenth-century Italy and seventeenth-
century England when Charles A. Beard in “Idea of National Interest” traced that reasons of
state’, (raison d ‘’etat), the will of the prince were gradually replaced by the reference to the
nation. Joseph Frankel (1970) in “National Interest” distinguishes two kinds of national
interests, i.e.; objective national interests and subjective national interests.
From the perspective of Realist framework, national interest predicts the course of
international behaviour. Hans J Morgenthau in his book “Politics Amongst Nations: The
Struggle for Power and Peace” in (1948) states that politics is the struggle for power. He
equates the national interest with the pursuit of power. Neo- realist thinker Kenneth Waltz in
his landmark book, ‘Theory of International Politics’ (1979) explains that the condition of
anarchy – absence of a “high power” over and above the sovereign nation-states to ensure
peace among them is often viewed as a synonymous to a state of war. In this context Waltz
highlights that each state act as an independent billiard ball to further its national interest at
the international level.
The national interest as defined by Adam Smith in his thesis of “Wealth of Nations”
(1776) is the accumulation of each individual’s self-interest. In the famous doctrine of the
harmony of interest, (1939) E.H. Carr highlights that in pursuit of his own interest, the
individual pursues the interest of the community itself and vice-versa.
According to Karl Marx, there is no such thing as the national interest per se. There
are, instead, class interests as the general interest of the community which will end only with
the demise of capitalism. Karl Marx in the Communist Manifesto (1848) which he co-
authored with Friedrick Engels argues that “the history of all hitherto existing societies is the
history of class struggle”. And, general interest is destroyed by market relations in these
societies.
From the Constructivists perspective, for example, Jutta Weldes in his book published
in1996 “Constructing National Interests” argues that national interest is used to understand
the goals of foreign policy making and as a rhetoric device to legitimize the state action.
Alexander Wendt defines the national interest in standard materialist terms ‘the desire for
territorial security’
In his seminal work “Nationalism and Culture” (1937), Rudolf Rucker dismisses the
notion of national interest because of internal divisions in the societies which make the
common interest of nation absurd. “The state is synonymous with the war”, while earlier men
lived in communes and free federation where communal life had not been destroyed by the
state (Peter Kropotkin 1970).
Keeping in mind the above mentioned points, the analysis of national interest in International
Relations can, therefore, further be extended to understand India’s interests in South Asia.
India's Interest in South Asia
The Global politics and economy are shifting towards the Asian region. Peace, cooperation
and neighbourliness could be the powerful tools for the dynamic growth of South Asian
region.
As the largest country in South Asia, the 7th largest economy, and as a member of
many regional organisations, India plays a role as a regional leader and not the
neighbourhood bully. Jayapalan’s book, India And Her Neighbors, (2000), deals with India’s
relations and its approach vis-a-vis China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Myanmar
and Bhutan in different phases. On the other hand, Dhiraj Shrivastava (2007) points out that
India because of its legal structure, corporate government, banking system, financial sector,
property right, security, its skilled manpower, and young workforce has become the new
economic icon of the emerging powers.
The South Asian region and India share a common cultural heritage which increases
its collective strength and power. Rajiv Sikri (2016) aptly quotes India as 'Cultural and
spiritual superpower'. He underlines that, how historically, India proved its position with the
colonial legacy and now it is emerging as a global power and opening opportunities for
resolving world affairs in every field. Roy’s work (2010) on India and Her Sub-Continent
Neighbours focuses on emerging new pattern of relationships by exploring the areas of
confrontation and cooperation in the South Asian region.
The powerful democratic model of India influences the neighbourhood policies,
which is agreed upon by the other South Asian nations which is in the interest of India. As
highlighted by Shashi Tharoor (2012) India’s policy is shifting from non-alignment to multi-
alignment. This region will remain a key strategic arena where major global power's interest
has been fulfilled and it is giving a tough competition to the western countries (Rajiv Sikri,
2016). Due to factors such as India's size, its relative weight, the third world countries, sees
India as their representative in the UN Security Council.
The effective foreign policy of India in South Asia consists of its security concern, territorial
integration, making institutions on a democratic model, preventing internal and external
centrifugal forces, ensuring economic well being of citizens by using technology and
scientific methods.
Challenges faced by India in South Asia
India in South Asia faces various challenges. Syed in his book “SAARC Challenges Ahead”
published in 2002 talks about the suspicious nature of its neighbours over the political
strategy of India due to its economic growth, vastness and population. Cohen in India:
Emerging Power (2001) discusses India’s trajectory of becoming an emerging power since
1947. This study also deals with India's engagements with its neighbours. Suman Sharma in
“India and SAARC” (2001) talks about India’s loosing influence over its neighbours due to
stepping up of other powers e.g. China’s increasing influence in South Asia.
In the views of Sikri (2009), it was stated that India’s relations with its neighbours has
become more important. For example, Bangladesh cooperation is required for the best
integration of the Indian economy with the economies of Southeast Asian countries. This
cooperation of Bangladesh enables India to take advantage of overland transportation links
between India and Southeast Asian countries. India and Pakistan have a common interest in
Persian Gulf which is an important trade route, large fishing source and the chief of the
pearling industry. It also has 50 percent of world oil reserves.
In a comprehensive study on challenges faced by India in South Asia, Dahiya (2012)
focuses on the countervailing force exerted by India’s neighbours to balance its all-round
domination in South Asia, e.g. Bangladesh’s refuses to give transit access to the North-East
region and Nepal shows reluctance to more effectively harness its hydropower potential.
Scholars in this field emphasize on the problem and threat related to illegal migration
amongst them. Sikri (2009) and Sarma (2005) described that the growing economic
opportunities in India inevitably generate cross border illegal migration e.g. Bangladeshi
migrants in Tripura, Bengal and Assam which threatens India’s internal security.
Syed asserts his views stating that spread of terrorism from Pakistan and Afghanistan
and Maoists from Nepal affects India’s security and deplored all such acts of their impacts on
life, property, socio-economic development. Naqvi (1992) focuses on India’s border-related
disputes with Pakistan, where Kashmir issue has given birth to several sub- disputes which
leads to war like situations between the two countries.
Definition, Rationale and Scope of the Study
A stable and prosperous South Asia is a prerequisite to India’s own prosperity and its
ambition to become a global power. Therefore, South Asia has been perceived as a stepping
stone for India’s realisation of its great power status. Contrary to this perception, the region
has been a constraint in safeguarding India’s interest. The study is an attempt to juxtapose
India’s interest and challenges in the South Asian region. In general, the study would trace
the significance of South Asia as a geopolitical region for India’s aspiration of becoming a
great power. In particular, the study will look into India’s engagements with its South Asian
neighbours.
The South Asian region is one of the most volatile and least integrated regions of the
world. The region has been one of the centres of nuclear rivalry, terrorism, religious
fundamentalism and military dictatorships in the world. The extreme disparities and
paradoxes of the region have inflicted several challenges for India. In the changed scenario of
the post-Cold War period and liberalization, the economic, political, strategic and cultural
interactions between India and its neighbours have remained limited. India is also a
subcontinent regional power and with the changed scenario, India has been trying to move
towards its regional neighbours to work for closer and greater economic, cultural and
political-strategic cooperation. Given the economic and military prowess, being a responsible
de-facto nuclear power state, India is considered as the most stable country in the region.
Ironically, India being an emerging power, the largest state in South Asia with its increased
overall capabilities, has been constrained in its own region.
Though some studies on the subject have been carried out in the past, yet the link
between India’s interest and challenges in South Asia and its aspiration to become a global
power requires more attention. Therefore, the study would be limited to identifying the areas
of interest and conflicts vis-a-vis India and its South Asian neighbours. Broadly, the study
would highlight India’s troubled relations with its neighbouring countries and how India can
keep regional issues behind it before it can become a great power.
Research Questions
1. What is the significance of national interest in International Relations?
2. What are the interests of India that are aligned with South Asia?
3. What are the challenges that India has been encountering in realizing its interests in
South Asia?
4. How lack of robust economic relations between India and South Asian neighbours
impacting India’s aspirations to become a great power?
5. How bilateral disputes are affecting India’s relations with India and its neighbours?
Hypothesis
Bilateral disputes and low level of economic engagement between India and its neighbours
have been impeding India’s aspirations of global power.
Research Methods
The proposed research work will be empirical in nature. The study applies primarily
qualitative analysis to research data derived from primary and secondary sources.
Quantitative data, however, would be used to substantiate arguments with empirical evidence.
In order to understand India’s interest and challenges in South Asian region, the theoretical
framework of the research would be based on conceptual understanding of national interest in
International Relations applying the dominant theories such as: Realism, Liberalism,
Marxism, Constructivism, Feminism, etc.
The study will be substantiated by primary sources, primarily by conducting
interviews of minimum of 10 experts related to the theme of research. In addition, this study
will look at other primary data from sources like government reports and official records
available at various libraries and institutions. As far as secondary sources are concerned, this
study examines literature by leading academic scholars and journalists in the form of books,
articles, research papers and websites. The study will also rely upon the working papers on
projects, seminars and symposia. Newspaper archives would provide day-to-day updates
pertaining to the issue at hand. The Internet sources would be used judiciously.
Tentative chapters
Chapter 1: Introduction
This chapter will define the key terms such as South Asia as a geopolitical region,
India’s interest and challenges in South Asia etc. The chapter will also give a detailed
outline of the research project.
Chapter 2: Conceptual understanding of national interest in International Relations
This chapter will deal with the conceptual understanding of national interest. It will
examine the national interest applying the dominant theories of international relations
such as: Realism, Liberalism, Marxism, Constructivism, Feminism, etc.
Chapter 3: India’s interests in South Asia
This Chapter will focus on India’s interests in South Asia. It would primarily examine
geopolitical, economic, cultural, security and political-strategic interests. It general, it
will also analyze the importance of realizing India’s interests in South Asia to become
a global power.
Chapter 4: India’s challenges in South Asia
This chapter will identify India’s existing challenges in South Asia. It will give
special attention to conditions and constraints amid India and its neighbours.
Chapter 5: Conclusion
This chapter will be a summary of the findings of all chapters.
Appendix: The final section of the project would carry transcripts of interviews with
the practitioners and experts in the field.
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