Amity School of Communication

Issues and Challenges in South Asia

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Introduction
The region of South Asia, nestled between the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, holds significant
geopolitical importance. Its strategic location and abundant resources make it a focal point of global
attention. The Geopolitics of South Asia encompasses a complex interplay of power and influence in the
region. South Asia holds strategic significance due to its location between the Arabian Sea and the Bay of
Bengal. The region is home to several nuclear powers, including India and Pakistan. Territorial disputes and
historical conflicts shape the geopolitical dynamics of South Asia. External powers such as the United States
and China have a vested interest in the region. South Asia's geopolitical landscape affects regional security
and global stability. India's geographical location plays a pivotal role in shaping the geopolitical dynamics of
South Asia. Situated at the heart of the Indian Ocean region, India enjoys a strategic advantage in terms of
security and economic opportunities. With access to the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, India holds a
dominant position in the region, enabling it to project power and influence. Its proximity to crucial maritime
routes allows India to safeguard its interests, secure its energy supplies, and maintain stability in the Indian
Ocean. Additionally, India's location grants it a unique vantage point for engaging with neighboring
countries, both economically and diplomatically.
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Concerns in Post - Cold War Era

China's military positions have altered the geopolitics of the Indian Ocean due to significant events like the
START-1 treaty of 1987, the end of the Cold War in 1990, and the disintegration of the USSR in 1991. During
the Cold War Era, certain factors gained prominence in the geopolitics of the Indian Ocean:
•The military actions of China in the Taiwan Straits and Spratly Islands threaten Southeast Asian nations. It
includes the Korean peninsula and Japan. These countries seek the presence of the US to counterbalance
China's military power.
•Peace in the Persian Gulf and neighboring regions is essential to ensure energy security for the West and
address the increasing dependence of industrialized countries like Japan on Middle East oil and gas
resources.
•The Carter Doctrine led to the establishment of a rapid development force equipped with sophisticated
military capabilities, ready to intervene directly in any Gulf crisis.
•The rise of international terrorist groups in the South Asian region. It shares borders with Afghanistan and
Pakistan and has further emphasized the strategic significance of the Indian Ocean.
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Challenges & Opportunities

The destruction of both communism and the Soviet state in what was the USSR has profoundly changed the geopolitical
environment of South Asia. It is a sea change. Familiar landmarks created by the cold war have not merely disappeared,
but what might replace them remains uncertain. What seems sure is the devolution of power and authority of the dead
Soviet state and, at least initially, the 15 republican capitals will be the new power centres—on the assumption that new
coup(s) would not re-establish an old-style-dictatorial regime over what was the USSR. Interaction between the
erstwhile Soviet Asian republics and the states of South Asia (and others in Southern Asia) poses both new challenges
and offers opportunities for South Asia. South Asia, almost coterminous with historical India, continues to have many
unhappy distinctions: mass poverty with its attendant evils of ignorance, ill health and technological backwardness,
territorial disputes among the major states of India and Pakistan, internal polarizations that threaten peace and integrity
in almost each state, and the lack of mutual trust among its constituents. Of all the regions, South Asia happens to be
rather well defined geographically, historically and thus geopolitically. Its internal divisions, deep mistrust among its
states and internal incoherence within its larger states have prevented the region from realizing its potential of
economic progress, political influence and the cultural enrichment of its teeming millions. It is true that, ultimately,
internal drives and passions would very largely shape its fortunes. But this unique juncture may make the external
environment a crucially important factor. The external situation can clearly pose dangers as well as present attractive
possibilities for forging useful new links with new central Asian entities for the common good.
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