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Chapter 5
Contemporary South Asia
OVERVIEW
Let us shift our gaze from the larger
global developments in the post-Cold
War era to developments in our own
region, South Asia. When India and
Pakistan joined the club of nuclear
powers, this region suddenly
became the focus of global attention.
The focus was, of course, on the
various kinds of conflict in this
region: there are pending border and
water sharing disputes between the
states of the region. Besides, there
are conflicts arising out of
insurgency, ethnic strife and
resource sharing. This makes the
region very turbulent. At the same
time, many people in South Asia
recognise the fact that this region
can develop and prosper if the states
of the region cooperate with each
other. In this chapter, we try to
understand the nature of conflict
and cooperation among different
countries of the region. Since much
of this is rooted in or conditioned by
the domestic politics of these
countries, we first introduce the
region and the domestic politics of Source: Subhas Rai’s adaptation of ‘Liberty Leading the
some of the big countries in the People’, painted by Eugene Delacroix in 1830. Courtesy of
Himal Southasian, (January 2007) The Southasia Trust, Nepal
region.
2018-19
66 Contemporary World Politics
WHAT IS SOUTH ASIA? The various countries in South
Asia do not have the same kind of
We are all familiar with the political systems. Despite many
gripping tension during an India- problems and limitations, Sri
Identify some Pakistan cricket match. We have Lanka and India have successfully
features also seen the goodwill and operated a democratic system
common to all hospitality shown to visiting since their independence from the
the South Asian Indian and Pakistani fans by their British. You will study more about
countries but hosts when they come to watch a the evolution of democracy in
different from cricket match. This is symbolic of India in the textbook that deals
countries in the larger pattern of South Asian with politics in India since
West Asia or affairs. Ours is a region where independence. It is, of course,
Southeast Asia. rivalry and goodwill, hope and possible to point out many
despair, mutual suspicion and limitations of India’s democracy;
trust coexist. but we have to remember the fact
that India has remained a
Let us begin by asking an
democracy thr oughout its
elementary question: what is South
existence as an independent
Asia? The expression ‘South Asia’
country. The same is true of Sri
usually includes the following
Lanka.
countries: Bangladesh, Bhutan,
India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan Pakistan and Bangladesh have
and Sri Lanka. The mighty experienced both civilian and
Himalayas in the north and the vast military rulers, with Bangladesh
Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea and remaining a democracy in the
the Bay of Bengal in the south, west post-Cold War period. Pakistan
and east respectively provide a began the post-Cold War period
natural insularity to the region, with successive democratic
which is largely responsible for the gover nments under Benazir
linguistic, social and cultural Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif
distinctiveness of the sub- respectively. But it suffered a
continent. The boundaries of the military coup in 1999 and has
region are not as clear in the east been run by a military regime
and the west, as they are in the since then. Till 2006, Nepal was a
north and the south. Afghanistan constitutional monarchy with the
and Myanmar are often included danger of the king taking over
in discussions of the region as a executive powers. In 2006 a
whole. China is an important player successful popular uprising led to
but is not considered to be a part the restoration of democracy and
of the region. In this chapter, we reduced the king to a nominal
shall use South Asia to mean the position. From the experience of
seven countries mentioned above. Bangladesh and Nepal, we can say
Is there a fixed
Thus defined, South Asia stands for that democracy is becoming an
definition of these
regions? Who diversity in every sense and yet accepted norm in the entire region
decides that? constitutes one geo-political space. of South Asia.
2018-19
Contemporary South Asia 67
Similar changes are taking place in the two
smallest countries of the region. Bhutan is still
a monarchy but the king has initiated plans for
its transition to multi-party democracy. The
Maldives, the other island nation, was a
Sultanate till 1968 when it was transformed into
a republic with a presidential for m of
government. In June 2005, the parliament of the
Maldives voted unanimously to introduce a
multi-party system. The Maldivian Democratic
Party (MDP) dominates the political affairs of the
island. Democracy strengthened in the Maldives
after the 2005 elections when some opposition
parties were legalised.
Despite the mixed record of the democratic
experience, the people in all these countries share
the aspiration for democracy. A recent survey of
the attitudes of the people in the five big countries
of the region showed that there is widespread
support for democracy in all these countries.
Ordinary citizens, rich as well as poor and
belonging to different religions, view the idea of
democracy positively and support the institutions
of representative democracy. They prefer
democracy over any other form of democracy and
think that democracy is suitable for their country.
Both these graphs are based on interviews with more
These are significant findings, for it was earlier than 19,000 ordinary citizens in the five countries of
believed that democracy could flourish and find South Asia. Source: SDSA Team, State of Democracy
support only in prosperous countries of the world. in South Asia, New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2007
Adult Gross Infant Deaths due
Life literacy rate enrolment GDP per mortality rate to TB (per Population living below
expectancy at (% ages 15 ratio capita (2011 (per 1,000 100,000 income poverty line (%)
birth (years) and older) (Secondary) PPP $) live births) people) PPP $1.90 a day HDI
Countries 2015 2015 2010-15 2015 2015 2014 2005-2014 Rank
World 71.6 84.3 76 14,600 31.6 15.5 – –
Developing 70.0 83.3 71 9,376 34.4 18.4 – –
countries
South Asia 68.7 70.3 65 5,806 40.7 20.7 – –
Bangladesh 72.0 61.5 58 3,137 30.7 51.0 18.5 139
India 68.3 72.1 69 5,730 37.9 17.0 21.2 131
Nepal 70.0 64.7 67 2,313 29.4 17.0 15.0 144
Pakistan 66.4 58.7 42 4,745 65.8 26.0 6.1 147
Sri Lanka 75.0 92.6 100 11,048 8.4 6.1 – 73
Source: United Nations Development Programme, Human Development Report, 2016
2018-19
68 Contemporary World Politics
In that sense the South Asian
TIMELINE OF SOUTH ASIA experience of democracy has
SINCE 1947 expanded the global imagination of
1947: India and Pakistan emerge as independent nations democracy.
after the end of British rule Let us look at the experience
1948: Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) gains independence; Indo- of democracy in each of the four
Pak conflict over Kashmir
big countries of the region other
1954-55: Pakistan joins the Cold War military blocs, SEATO
than India.
and CENTO
1960: India and Pakistan sign the Indus Waters Treaty
1962: Border conflict between India and China THE MILITARY AND
1965: Indo-Pak War; UN India-Pakistan Observation Mission
1966: India and Pakistan sign the Tashkent Agreement;
DEMOCRACY IN PAKISTAN
Six-point proposal of Sheikh Mujib-ur Rahman for greater
After Pakistan framed its first
autonomy to East Pakistan
constitution, General Ayub Khan
1971 March: Proclamation of Independence by leaders of
Bangladesh took over the administration of
August : Indo-Soviet Treaty of Friendship signed for 20 years the country and soon got himself
December : Indo-Pak War, Liberation of Bangladesh
elected. He had to give up office
when there was popular
1972 July: India and Pakistan sign the Shimla Agreement
dissatisfaction against his rule.
1974 May: India conducts nuclear test
This gave way to a military
1976: Pakistan and Bangladesh establish diplomatic ties
takeover once again under
1985 December: South Asian leaders sign the SAARC
Charter at the first summit in Dhaka General Yahya Khan. During
1987: Indo-Sri Lanka Accord; Indian Peace Keeping Force
Yahya’s military rule, Pakistan
(IPKF) operation in Sri Lanka (1987-90) faced the Bangladesh crisis, and
1988: India sends troops to the Maldives to foil a coup after a war with India in 1971,
attempt by mercenaries East Pakistan broke away to
India and Pakistan sign the agreement not to attack emerge as an independent country
nuclear installations and facilities of each other called Bangladesh. After this, an
1988-91: Democracy restoration in Pakistan, Bangladesh elected government under the
and Nepal leadership of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
1996 December: India and Bangladesh sign the Farakka came to power in Pakistan from
Treaty for sharing of the Ganga Waters 1971 to 1977. The Bhutto
1998 May: India and Pakistan conduct nuclear tests government was removed by
December: India and Sri Lanka sign the Free Trade Agreement General Zia-ul-Haq in 1977.
(FTA)
General Zia faced a pro-democracy
1999 February: Indian PM Vajpayee undertakes bus journey movement from 1982 onwards and
to Lahore to sign a Peace Declaration
and an elected democratic
June-July: Kargil conflict between India and Pakistan
government was established once
2001 July: Vajpayee - Musharraf Agra Summit unsuccessful
again in 1988 under the leadership
2004 January: SAFTA signed at the 12th SAARC Summit in
of Benazir Bhutto. In the period
Islamabad
that followed, Pakistani politics
2007: Afghanistan joins SAARC
centred around the competition
2014 November: The 18th SAARC Summit in Kathmandu,
Nepal
between her party, the Pakistan
People’s Party, and the Muslim
2018-19
Contemporary South Asia 69
League. This phase of elective
democracy lasted till 1999 when the
army stepped in again and General
Pervez Musharraf removed Prime
Minister Nawaz Sharif. In 2001,
General Musharraf got himself
elected as the President. Pakistan
continued to be ruled by the army,
though the army rulers have held
some elections to give their rule a
democratic image. Since 2008,
democratically elected leaders
have been ruling Pakistan.
Several factors have
contributed to Pakistan’s failure in
building a stable democracy.
The social dominance of the
Surendra, The Hindu
military, clergy, and landowning
This cartoon comments on the dual role of Pakistan’s ruler Pervez
aristocracy has led to the frequent Musharraf as the President of the country and as the army General.
overthrow of elected governments Read the equations carefully and write down the message of this
and the establishment of military cartoon.
government. Pakistan’s conflict
countries have encouraged the
with India has made the pro-
military’s authoritarian rule in the
military groups more powerful.
past, for their own reasons. Given
These groups have often said that
their fear of the threat of what they
political parties and democracy in
call ‘global Islamic terrorism’ and
Pakistan are flawed, that
the apprehension that Pakistan’s
Pakistan’s security would be
nuclear arsenal might fall into the
harmed by selfish-minded parties
hands of these terrorist groups,
and chaotic democracy, and that
the army’s stay in power the military regime in Pakistan
is, therefore, justified. While has been seen as the protector of
democracy has not been fully Western interests in West Asia and
successful in Pakistan, there has South Asia.
been a strong pro-democracy
sentiment in the country. Pakistan
has a courageous and relatively
DEMOCRACY IN BANGLADESH
free press and a strong human Bangladesh was a part of Pakistan
rights movement. from 1947 to 1971. It consisted
If Germany can be
The lack of genuine of the partitioned areas of Bengal
reunited, why can’t
international support for and Assam from British India. The
the people of India
democratic rule in Pakistan has people of this region resented the and Pakistan at least
further encouraged the military to domination of western Pakistan travel more easily to
continue its dominance. The and the imposition of the Urdu each other’s
United States and other Western language. Soon after the partition, country?
2018-19
70 Contemporary World Politics
they began protests against the arrested. Under the military rule
unfair treatment meted out to the of General Yahya Khan, the
Bengali culture and language. They Pakistani army tried to suppress
also demanded fair representation the mass movement of the Bengali
in administration and a fair share people. Thousands were killed by
in political power. Sheikh Mujib- the Pakistan army. This led to a
ur Rahman led the popular large scale migration into India,
struggle against West Pakistani
creating a huge refugee problem
domination. He demanded
for India. The government of India
autonomy for the eastern region.
supported the demand of the
In the 1970 elections in the then
people of East Pakistan for their
Pakistan, the Awami League led by
Sheikh Mujib won all the seats in independence and helped them
East Pakistan and secured a financially and militarily. This
majority in the proposed resulted in a war between India
constituent assembly for the whole and Pakistan in December 1971
of Pakistan. But the government that ended in the surrender of the
dominated by the West Pakistani Pakistani forces in East Pakistan
leadership refused to convene the and the formation of Bangladesh
assembly. Sheikh Mujib was as an independent country.
A mural in Dhaka University to remember Noor Hossain who was killed by the police during pro-democracy protests
against General Ershad in 1987. Painted on his back: “Let Democracy be Freed” . Photo credit: Shahidul Alam/ Drik
2018-19Contemporary South Asia 71
Bangladesh drafted its responsive system of government. Let’s know more
constitution declaring faith in But the king, with the help of theabout
secularism, democracy and army, retained full control over the
Bangladesh’s
socialism. However, in 1975 Sheikh government and restricted the Grameen Bank.
Mujib got the constitution expansion of democracy in Nepal. Can we make
amended to shift from the use of the idea
The king accepted the demand
parliamentary to presidential form to reduce
for a new democratic constitution
of government. He also abolished poverty in
in 1990, in the wake of a strong India?
all parties except his own, the
pro-democracy movement.
Awami League. This led to conflicts
However, democratic governments
and tensions. In a dramatic and
had a short and troubled career.
tragic development, he was
During the nineties, the Maoists
assassinated in a military uprising
of Nepal were successful in
in August 1975. The new military
spreading their influence in many
ruler, Ziaur Rahman, formed his
parts of Nepal. They believed in
own Bangladesh National Party
armed insurrection against the
and won elections in 1979. He was
monarch and the ruling elite. This
assassinated and another military
led to a violent conflict between
takeover followed under the
the Maoist guerrillas and the
leadership of Lt Gen H. M. Ershad.
armed forces of the king. For
The people of Bangladesh soon rose
some time, there was a triangular
in support of the demand for
conflict among the monarchist
democracy. Students were in the
forces, the democrats and the
forefront. Ershad was forced to
Maoists. In 2002, the king
allow political activity on a limited
abolished the parliament and
scale. He was later elected as
dismissed the government, thus
President for five years. Mass public
ending even the limited
protests made Ershad step down
democracy that existed in Nepal.
in 1990. Elections were held in
1991. Since then representative In April 2006, there were
democracy based on multi-party massive, country wide, pro-
elections has been working in democracy protests. The struggling
Bangladesh. pro-democracy forces achieved their
first major victory when the king was
forced to restore the House of
MONARCHY AND Representatives that had been
DEMOCRACY IN NEPAL dissolved in April 2002. The largely
non-violent movement was led by
Nepal was a Hindu kingdom in the the Seven Party Alliance (SPA), the
past and then a constitutional Maoists and social activists.
monarchy in the modern period Nepal’s transition to
for many years. Throughout this democracy is almost complete.
period, political parties and the Nepal has undergone a unique
common people of Nepal have moment in its history because it
wanted a more open and formed a constituent assembly to
2018-1972 Contemporary World Politics
draft the constitution for Nepal. since its independence in 1948.
Some sections in Nepal thought But it faced a serious challenge, not
that a nominal monarchy was from the military or monarchy but
necessary for Nepal to retain its rather from ethnic conflict leading
link with the past. The Maoist to the demand for secession by
groups agreed to suspend armed one of the regions.
struggle. They wanted the
After its independence, politics
Nepal sounds really constitution to include the radical
in Sri Lanka (it was then known
exciting. I wish I was programmes of social and economic
in Nepal! restructuring. All the parties in the as Ceylon) was dominated by
SPA did not agree with this forces that represented the interest
programme. The Maoists and of the majority Sinhala
some other political groups were community. They were hostile to a
also deeply suspicious of the large number of Tamils who had
Indian government and its role in migrated from India to Sri Lanka
the future of Nepal. In 2008, Nepal and settled there. This migration
became a democratic republic after continued even after independence.
abolishing the monarchy. In 2015, The Sinhala nationalists thought
it adopted a new constitution. that Sri Lanka should not give
‘concessions’ to the Tamils because
Sri Lanka belongs to the Sinhala
ETHNIC CONFLICT AND people only. The neglect of Tamil
DEMOCRACY IN SRI LANKA concerns led to militant Tamil
nationalism. From 1983 onwards,
We have already seen that Sri the militant organisation, the
Lanka has retained democracy Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
Democracy activist, Durga Thapa,
participating in a pro-democracy rally in
Kathmandu in 1990. The second picture
shows the same person in 2006, this time
celebrating the success of the second
democracy movement.
Photo credit: Min Bajracharya
2018-19Contemporary South Asia 73
(LTTE) has been fighting an armed
struggle with the army of Sri Lanka
and demanding ‘Tamil Eelam’ or a
separate country for the Tamils of
Sri Lanka. The LTTE controls the
northeastern parts of Sri Lanka.
The Sri Lankan problem
involves people of Indian origin,
and there is considerable pressure
from the Tamil people in India to
the ef fect that the Indian
government should protect the
interests of the Tamils in Sri
Lanka. The government of India
has from time to time tried to
negotiate with the Sri Lankan Keshav, The Hindu
The cartoon depicts the dilemma of the Sri Lankan leadership in
government on the Tamil question.
trying to balance Sinhala hardliners or the Lion and Tamil militants
But in 1987, the government of or the Tiger while negotiating peace.
India for the first time got directly
involved in the Sri Lankan Tamil In spite of the conflict, Sri
question. India signed an accord Lanka has registered considerable
with Sri Lanka and sent troops to economic growth and recorded
stabilise relations between the Sri high levels of human development.
Lankan gover nment and the Sri Lanka was one of the first
Tamils. Eventually, the Indian developing countries to
Army got into a fight with the successfully control the rate of
LTTE. The presence of Indian growth of population, the first
troops was also not liked much country in the region to liberalise
by the Sri Lankans. They saw this the economy, and it has had the
as an attempt by India to interfere highest per capita gross domestic
in the internal affairs of Sri Lanka. product (GDP) for many years
In 1989, the Indian Peace Keeping right through the civil war. Despite
Force (IPKF) pulled out of Sri the ravages of internal conflict, it
Lanka without attaining its has maintained a democratic
objective. political system.
The Sri Lankan crisis
continued to be violent. However, INDIA-PAKISTAN CONFLICTS
international actors, particularly
the Scandinavian countries such Let us now move from domestic
as Norway and Iceland tried to politics and take a look at some
bring the warring groups back to of the areas of conflict in the inter-
negotiations. Finally, the armed national relations in this region.
conflict came to an end, as the The post-Cold War era has not
LTTE was vanquished in 2009. meant the end of conflicts and
2018-1974 Contemporary World Politics
Kashmir and the Indian province of
Jammu and Kashmir divided by the
Line of Control. In 1971, India won
a decisive war against Pakistan but
the Kashmir issue remained
unsettled.
India’s conflict with Pakistan is
also over strategic issues like the
control of the Siachen glacier and
over acquisition of arms. The arms
race between the two countries
assumed a new character with
both states acquiring nuclear
weapons and missiles to deliver
such arms against each other in
the 1990s. In 1998, India
conducted nuclear explosion in
Pokaran. Pakistan responded
within a few days by carrying out
Keshav, The Hindu
nuclear tests in the Chagai Hills.
A view of the current phase of the Indo-Pak negotiations. Since then India and Pakistan
seem to have built a military
tensions in this region. We have relationship in which the
already noted the conflicts around possibility of a direct and full-scale
internal democracy or ethnic war has declined.
differences. But there are also
But both the governments
some very crucial conflicts of an
continue to be suspicious of each
international nature. Given the
other. The Indian government has
position of India in this region,
blamed the Pakistan government
most of these conflicts involve
for using a strategy of low-key
India.
violence by helping the Kashmiri
The most salient and over- militants with arms, training,
whelming of these conflicts is, of money and protection to carry out
course, the one between India and terrorist strikes against India. The
Pakistan. Soon after the partition, Indian government also believes
the two countries got embroiled in that Pakistan had aided the pro-
a conflict over the fate of Kashmir. Khalistani militants with arms
The Pakistani government claimed and ammunitions during the
that Kashmir belonged to it. Wars period 1985-1995. Its spy agency,
Discussion on Kashmir
between India and Pakistan in Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), is
sounds like a property
1947-48 and 1965 failed to settle alleged to be involved in various
dispute between the
rulers of India and the matter. The 1947-48 war anti-India campaigns in India’s
Pakistan! What do the resulted in the division of the northeast, operating secretly
Kashmiris feel about it? province into Pakistan-occupied through Bangladesh and Nepal.
2018-19Contemporary South Asia 75
The government of Pakistan, in unhappy with Bangladesh’s
turn, blames the Indian denial of illegal immigration to
government and its security India, its support for anti-Indian
agencies for fomenting trouble in Islamic fundamentalist groups,
the provinces of Sindh and Bangladesh’s refusal to allow
Balochistan. Indian troops to move through
its territory to northeastern
India and Pakistan also have India, and its decision not
had problems over the sharing of to export natural gas to India
river waters. Until 1960, they were Why is it that every
or allow Myanmar to do so
one of our
locked in a fierce argument over through Bangladeshi territory.
neighbours has a
the use of the rivers of the Indus Bangladeshi governments have felt problem with India?
basin. Eventually, in 1960, with that the Indian government Is there something
the help of the World Bank, India behaves like a regional bully over wrong with our
and Pakistan signed the Indus the sharing of river waters, foreign policy? Or is
Waters Treaty which has survived encouraging rebellion in the it just our size?
to this day in spite of various Chittagong Hill Tracts, trying to
military conflicts in which the two extract its natural gas and being
countries have been involved. unfair in trade. The two countries
There are still some minor could not resolve their boundary
differences about the interpretation dispute for a long while.
of the Indus Waters Treaty and the Despite their differences, India
use of the river waters. The two and Bangladesh do cooperate on
countries are not in agreement many issues. Economic relations
over the demarcation line in Sir have improved considerably in the
Creek in the Rann of Kutch. The last 20 years. Bangladesh is a part
dispute seems minor, but there is of India’s Look East (Act East since
an underlying worry that how the 2014) policy that wants to link up
dispute is settled may have an with Southeast Asia via Myanmar.
impact on the control of sea On disaster management and
resources in the area adjoining Sir environmental issues, the two
Creek. India and Pakistan are states have cooperated regularly.
holding negotiations on all In 2015, they exchanged certain
these issues. enclaves. Efforts are on to broaden
the areas of cooperation further by
identifying common threats
INDIA AND ITS OTHER and being more sensitive to each
other’s needs.
NEIGHBOURS
Nepal and India enjoy a very
The governments of India and special relationship that has very
Bangladesh have had differences few parallels in the world. A treaty
over several issues including the between the two countries allows
sharing of the Ganga and the citizens of the two countries to
Brahmaputra river waters. The travel to and work in the other
Indian government has been country without visas and
2018-1976 Contemporary World Politics
passports. Despite this special
relationship, the governments of the
two countries have had trade-
related disputes in the past. The
Indian government has often
expressed displeasure at the warm
STEPS relationship between Nepal and
© Divide the classroom into eight groups (as many China and at the Nepal
as the number of countries). The number of students government’s inaction against anti-
in each group may vary, reflecting the size of the Indian elements. Indian security
countries of South Asia. agencies see the Maoist movement
in Nepal as a growing security
© Name each group after a country and hand over
threat, given the rise of Naxalite
a brief country profile to respective groups. Besides
groups in various Indian states
the basic information, include a short note on the
from Bihar in the north to Andhra
contentious issues/disputes among the South Asian
Pradesh in the south. Many leaders
countries. The issues could be those discussed in
this chapter or an issue of relevance but not and citizens in Nepal think that the
discussed in the chapter. Indian government interferes in its
internal affairs, has designs on its
© Allow students to select an issue of their choice. river waters and hydro-electricity,
The dispute could be bilateral or multilateral (the and prevents Nepal, a landlocked
issue could be related to India, given the
country, from getting easier access
geographic peculiarity of the region).
to the sea through Indian territory.
© Assign each group to find out what initiatives the Nevertheless, Indo-Nepal relations
governments involved have taken and the reasons are fairly stable and peaceful.
for their failures in resolving the disputes. Despite differences, trade, scientific
© Students should assume the role of representing cooperation, common natural
resources, electricity generation
their respective countries and share their findings.
and interlocking water
Ideas for the Teacher
management grids hold the two
* Pair up the countries sharing the common issue/dispute. It countries together. There is a hope
could be two groups in the case of a bilateral issue or more in
that the consolidation of democracy
case of a multilateral issue (examples of bilateral issues include
the Jammu and Kashmir dispute between India and Pakistan, in Nepal will lead to improvements
the migrant problem between India and Bangladesh; in the ties between the two
multilateral issues include the creation of a free trade zone or
countries.
tackling terrorism).
* Groups should negotiate on the proposals and counter- The difficulties in the
proposals within a time limit. The teacher is to take note of the relationship between the
outcome of the negotiations. The focus should be on the areas governments of India and Sri Lanka
of agreement and disagreement.
are mostly over ethnic conflict in
* Link the outcome of the negotiations with the prevailing
the island nation. Indian leaders
situation among the countries of South Asia. Talk about the
difficulties involved in negotiating on a political issue based and citizens find it impossible to
on the observation made. Conclude by discussing the remain neutral when Tamils are
importance of accommodating each other’s interest for the politically unhappy and are
sake of peaceful coexistence.
being killed. After the military
intervention in 1987, the Indian
2018-19Contemporary South Asia 77
government now prefers a policy of the region. The smaller countries
disengagement vis-à-vis Sri Lanka’s fear that India wants to be a
internal troubles. India signed a free regionally-dominant power.
trade agreement with Sri Lanka,
Not all conflicts in South Asia
which strengthened relations
are between India and its
between two countries. India’s help
neighbours. Nepal and Bhutan, as
in post-tsunami reconstruction in
well as Bangladesh and Myanmar,
Sri Lanka has also brought the two
have had disagreements in the past
countries closer. If the chapter, on US
over the migration of ethnic
was called ‘US
India enjoys a very special Nepalese into Bhutan and the
Hegemony’ why is
relationship with Bhutan too and Rohingyas into Myanmar,
this chapter not
does not have any major conflict respectively. Bangladesh and Nepal called ‘Indian
with the Bhutanese government. have had some differences over the Hegemony’?
The efforts made by the Bhutanese future of the Himalayan river
monarch to weed out the guerrillas waters. The major conflicts and
and militants from northeastern differences, though, are between
India that operate in his country India and the others, partly
have been helpful to India. India is because of the geography of the
involved in big hydroelectric region, in which India is located
projects in Bhutan and remains the centrally and is therefore the only
Himalayan kingdom’s biggest country that borders the others.
source of development aid. India’s
ties with the Maldives remain warm
and cordial. In November 1988,
when some Tamil mercenaries
from Sri Lanka attacked the
Maldives, the Indian air force and
navy reacted quickly to the
Maldives’ request to help stop the
invasion. India has also
contributed towards the island’s
economic development, tourism
and fisheries.
You may have noticed that
India has various problems with its
smaller neighbours in the region.
Given its size and power, they are
bound to be suspicious of India’s
intentions. The Indian government,
on the other hand, often feels
exploited by its neighbours. It does Surendra, The Hindu
not like the political instability in
these countries, fearing it can help What does this cartoon tell you about the role of India and
outside powers to gain influence in Pakistan in the process of regional cooperation in South Asia?
2018-1978 Contemporary World Politics
PEACE AND COOPERATION
Do the states of South Asia cooperate with each
other? Or do they only keep fighting with each
other? In spite of the many conflicts, the states
of South Asia recognise the importance of
cooperation and friendly relationship, among
themselves. The South Asian Association for
Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is a major regional
initiative by the South Asian states to evolve
cooperation through multilateral means. It
began in 1985. Unfortunately, due to persisting
Keshav, The Hindu political differences, SAARC has not had much
success. SAARC members signed the South
Asian Free Trade (SAFTA) agreement which
promised the formation of a free trade zone for
the whole of South Asia.
A new chapter of peace and cooperation might
evolve in South Asia if all the countries in the region
allow free trade across the borders. This is the spirit
behind the idea of SAFTA. The Agreement was
signed in 2004 and came into effect on 1 January
2006. SAFTA aims at lowering trade tariffs. But
some of our neighbours fear that SAFTA is a way
Pakistan Tribune for India to ‘invade’ their markets and to influence
their societies and politics through commercial
The two cartoons, one from India and the other
from Pakistan, interpret the role of two key
ventures and a commercial presence in their
players who are also interested in the region. Do countries. India thinks that there are real economic
you notice any commonality between their benefits for all from SAFTA and that a region that
perspectives? trades more freely will be able to cooperate better
on political issues. Some in India think that SAFTA
is not worth the trouble since India already has
bilateral agreements with Bhutan, Nepal and
Sri Lanka.
Although India-Pakistan relations seem to be a
story of endemic conflict and violence, there have
Every association been a series of efforts to manage tensions and
seems to have build peace. The two countries have agreed to
emerged for trade! undertake confidence building measures to reduce
Is trade more the risk of war. Social activists and prominent
important than personalities have collaborated to create an
people-to-people
atmosphere of friendship among the people of both
relations?
countries. Leaders have met at summits to
understand each other better and to find solutions
2018-19Contemporary South Asia 79
to the major problems between the American involvement in South
two neighbours. A number of bus Asia has rapidly increased after the
routes have been opened up Cold War. The US has had good
between the two countries. Trade relations with both India and
between the two parts of Punjab Pakistan since the end of the Cold
has increased substantially in the War and increasingly works as a
last five years. Visas have been moderator in India-Pakistan
more easily given. relations. Economic reforms and
liberal economic policies in both
No region exists in a vacuum.
countries have greatly increased
It is influenced by outside powers
the depth of American participation
and events no matter how much
in the region. The large South Asian
it may try to insulate itself from
diasporas in the US and the huge
non-regional powers. China and
size of the population and markets
the United States remain key
of the region also give America an
players in South Asian politics.
added stake in the future of
Sino-Indian relations have
regional security and peace.
improved significantly in the last
ten years, but China’s strategic However, whether South Asia
partnership with Pakistan will continue to be known as a
remains a major irritant. The conflict prone zone or will evolve into
demands of development and a regional bloc with some common
globalisation have brought the two cultural features and trade interests
Asian giants closer, and their will depend more on the people and
economic ties have multiplied the governments of the region than
rapidly since 1991. any other outside power.
1. Identify the country:
Exercises
a. The struggle among pro-monarchy, pro-democracy groups and
extremists created an atmosphere of political instability:
b. A landlocked country with multi-party competition:
c. The first country to liberalise its economy in the South Asian
region:
d. In the conflict between the military and pro-democracy groups,
the military has prevailed over democracy:
e. Centrally located and shares borders with most of the South
Asian countries:
f. Earlier the island had the Sultan as the head of state. Now, it’s
a republic:
g. Small savings and credit cooperatives in the rural areas have
helped in reducing poverty:
h. A landlocked country with a monarchy:
2018-1980 Contemporary World Politics
2. Which among the following statements about South Asia is wrong?
a) All the countries in South Asia are democratic.
b) Bangladesh and India have signed an agreement on river-water
sharing.
E x e r c i s e s
c) SAFTA was signed at the 12th SAARC Summit in Islamabad.
d) The US and China play an influential role in South Asian politics.
3. What are some of the commonalities and differences between
Bangladesh and Pakistan in their democratic experiences?
4. List three challenges to democracy in Nepal.
5. Name the principal players in the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka. How do
you assess the prospects of the resolution of this conflict?
6. Mention some of the recent agreements between India and Pakistan.
Can we be sure that the two countries are well on their way to a
friendly relationship?
7. Mention two areas each of cooperation and disagreement between
India and Bangladesh.
8. How are the external powers influencing bilateral relations in South
Asia? Take any one example to illustrate your point.
9. Write a short note on the role and the limitations of SAARC as a forum
for facilitating economic cooperation among the South Asian
countries.
10. India’s neighbours often think that the Indian government tries to
dominate and interfere in the domestic affairs of the smaller countries
of the region. Is this a correct impression?
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