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South Asia: Contexts and Dynamics

Satellite view of South Asia, courtesy of NASA/Wikimedia Commons
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Satellite view of South Asia.

In a region increasingly defined by the colliding interests of China, India and the US, Sino-Pakistani collaboration continues to hamstring India’s economic and naval ambitions. And with the region’s South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) remaining as ‘toothless’ as ever, the possibility of New Delhi resolutely leading a march towards greater regional integration will hinge on the uncertain strength of its economy and the capacity to finance area-wide infrastructure projects. Well, are these necessary preconditions realistic given India’s crumbling domestic institutions and growing erosion of the rule of law? This week we investigate these issues and more.

Cargo ship at a container terminal, courtesy of Jaxer/Wikimedia Commons

India's Economy and South Asian Integration

18 Jul 2013 / Special Feature

South Asia’s future political integration will depend on the strength of India’s economy and its ability to finance regional infrastructure projects. Today, Sachin Pilot, who is India’s Minister for Corporate Affairs, and the IISS’s Sanjaya Baru discuss whether both prerequisites are indeed possible. More on «India's Economy and South Asian Integration»

Outside view of the SAARC secretariat in Kathmandu, courtesy of Srijana Timsina/Wikimedia Commons

SAARC: Towards Meaningful Cooperation

17 Jul 2013 / Special Feature

Despite the existence of regional institutions such as the SAARC, political and economic integration are virtually non-existent in South Asia. Today, our partners at the Center for South Asian Studies explain why regionalism has been so slow to develop in this part of the world and explore what can be done to accelerate the process. More on «SAARC: Towards Meaningful Cooperation »

Indian Air Force Sukhoi Su-30 taking off, courtesy Sameer Karmarkar/flickr

Military Dynamics in South Asia

16 Jul 2013 / Article

India’s conventional military capabilities continue to pull ahead of Pakistan’s while also falling behind China’s. Today, the CSS’s Prem Mahadevan examines the evolving military balance among these powers, to include the impact of cross-border terrorism and India’s naval ambitions in the South China Sea. More on «Military Dynamics in South Asia»

Missile on a road-mobile launcher with a crowd of people in the background, courtesy HaeB/wikimedia

The Strategic Environment in South Asia

01 May 2013 / Audio

The interests of China, India and the US form a delicate strategic triangle in Southern Asia. Today, C Raja Mohan and C Uday Bhaskar discuss the prospects for greater engagement between these three actors, as well as how they can deal with increasingly complex security challenges. More on «The Strategic Environment in South Asia»

Building of the Supreme Court of India, courtesy of Legaleagle86/Wikimedia Commons

Debating Law & Religion: The Rule of Law in South Asia

31 Oct 2012 / Video

Strengthening regional institutions in South Asia may be unrealistic if domestic rule of law is crumbling away. Today, our Yale Law School colleagues remind us that this problem may be worse in ‘secular’ India than in Pakistan, where Islam has always had an official legal role. More on «Debating Law & Religion: The Rule of Law in South Asia»

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