South Asia

About Centre

South Asia is one of the main areas of research focus at IDSA. The region has been going through a period of turmoil over the last few years. Definitive steps have been taken in the recent past towards the establishment of democratic governments in the region. Given the importance of developments in the region for Indian security, experts at IDSA keenly watch and analyse unfolding developments in each South Asian country.

Two projects that are currently under progress are ‘Developments in Pakistan’ and ‘Pakistan Occupied Kashmir’. In addition, individual scholars are engaged in researching various security related aspects pertaining to South Asian countries. The Centre has established bilateral institutional relations with leading think tanks in the region and proposes to undertake joint studies.

Minutes of South Asia Centre Meetings

The Battle for Kabul has Begun

The planned Western draw down over the next two years is threatening to once again plunge Afghanistan into greater chaos and anarchy, with Kabul as the centre stage.

Vishal Chandra
April 18, 2012
IDSA Comments

Hope for Peace: What do the signs foretell?

To ensure that hope changes to reality, policy decisions like RTI, Panchayati Raj, return of youth from across the LoC, employment schemes, changes in security laws and keeping national interest above petty politics, will have to meet the reality test of implementation.

Vivek Chadha
April 16, 2012
IDSA Comments

A Wake up Call for Sri Lanka at the UNHRC

India’s vote at the UNHRC may is the first step to send a clear message to the Rajapakse government that it cannot continue to postpone a political resolution of the Tamil issue.

Are Drone Strikes in Pakistan Legally Justified?

Pakistan as the host state for non-state actors cannot escape responsibility towards the latter’s acts whether these are committed with or without its knowledge, and it must do everything in its capacity to rein them in these groups.

Ashutosh Misra
April 03, 2012
IDSA Comments

Gilgit Baltistan: Pakistan’s Growing Travails and India’s Inexplicable Silence

A course correction coupled with a proactive policy of nurturing the growing pro-India constituency in Gilgit Baltistan is the need of the hour.

Afghanistan: Bad Options, Worse Outcomes

The Indian policy establishment needs to start factoring into its security calculus the fallout of a Talibanised Afghanistan and eventually a Talibanised Pakistan.

Sushant Sareen
March 20, 2012
Issue Brief

UNHRC Resolution on Sri Lanka: India’s Options

India must use the opportunity to extract a commitment from Sri Lanka to initiate a serious process of dialogue aimed at evolving a political solution to the Tamil issue.

Gulbin Sultana
March 19, 2012
IDSA Comments

Gross National Happiness in Bhutan: A Policy in Making

India should thus take a regional lead to push Bhutan’s idea of ecological preservation forward, an action which will further generate goodwill and understanding between the two countries.

Medha Bisht
March 15, 2012
IDSA Comments

Gilgit Baltistan: Neither ‘in’ Pakistan Nor ‘of’ it?

Pakistan has failed to address the aspirations of the people under subjugation in PoK leading to frequent political outbursts as being witnessed now, outbursts that are only likely to grow given Pakistan’s indifference towards the region as well as its internal security dynamics and external preoccupations.

Priyanka Singh
March 06, 2012
IDSA Comments

Developments in the Maldives and India’s Options

Knowing how slippery the democratic playfield can be and having a sense of who actually has fouled, as a sort of friendly referee, India should award a free kick to the player who has been knocked down.