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

Impending Crisis in Nepal

With Prachanda’s announcement that the Maoists intend to launch an indefinite nationwide general strike, a major crisis seems to be brewing in Nepal.

Nihar R. Nayak
April 29, 2010
IDSA Comments

The April Election and Prospects for Sustainable Peace in Sri Lanka

The outcome of the April general election makes clear that Sri Lanka would be evolving its own model of post-conflict reconstruction and reconciliation to address the causes of conflict.

Chinese Puzzle in India-Bangladesh Relations

If the growth of Islamic extremism and terrorism in Bangladesh is a threat to Indian security, then the presence of China with which India’s interests have the potential to clash is also of security concern.

Anand Kumar
April 19, 2010
IDSA Comments

Likely Impact of Current Developments on the Pakistani State and its Army

India has very little leverages in shaping a peaceful, stable and friendly Pakistan but its own progress can make Pakistani society, fearful of being left behind, force a change in the state’s policy orientation.

Rumel Dahiya
April 19, 2010
Issue Brief

A Year of Multi-Party Democracy in Maldives

The Maldives is well on the road towards a genuine democracy and the years to come will show how it manages modernisation, liberal democracy and Islam all together.

Anand Kumar
April 06, 2010
Issue Brief

Bhutan in 2009: A Retrospective View

The formal coronation of Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk as the fifth King of Bhutan in November 2008 concluded the first wave of democratization in Bhutan.

Medha Bisht
April 06, 2010
Issue Brief

Af-Pak and India’s Strategic Innocence

Afghanistan was a test case for our foreign policy resolve, an arena where while leveraging other tools of foreign policy, use of instruments of force and military diplomacy/intelligence should have been predominant.

Raj Shukla
April 02, 2010
IDSA Comments

Vicious anti-India propaganda in Pakistan on Water issues

Though the Indus Water Treaty apportions 80 per cent of the waters of the Indus River Basin to Pakistan and only 20 per cent to India, Pakistan is engaged in baseless allegations to inflame public opinion and project India as its number one threat.

Arvind Gupta
March 29, 2010
IDSA Comments

Pakistan wants to play a central role in the Afghan settlement

Karzai’s use of the word ‘proxy war’ in relation to India’s reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts can only be understood in view of the West’s fatigue in Afghanistan and the growing importance of Pakistan

Arvind Gupta
March 18, 2010
IDSA Comments

AfPak dialectics can work in India’s favour

If Pakistan succumbs to American pressure, it will continue to be engaged in a long war of attrition on its western borders. If Pakistan resists American pressure, it will be isolated in the world and the international community will have to fall back upon India to put a firewall around the AfPak region.