Assignment Code: BPSE-144/ASST/TMA/2021-22

Course Code: BPSE-144

Assignment Name: Introduction to South Asia

Year: 2021-2022

Verification Status: Verified by Professor

Marks: 100

Answer all questions in each Section

Assignment - I

Answer the following in about 500 words each. Each question carries 20 marks.

Q1. Explain the Geo-Political importance of South Asia in current World Order.

Ans) India and Pakistan have pursued divergent foreign policy trajectories since their division in August 1947. India has followed a 'independent' or 'non-aligned' foreign policy, refusing to affiliate with either the Western or Eastern blocs and instead focusing on maintaining its own strategic autonomy. The fall of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, as well as the opening up of its economy, put an end to New Delhi's non-alignment strategy.

With the challenges of a bipolar international order no longer present, India deepened its partnership with the United States. India and the United States signed a historic deal in 2005 that permitted India to continue expanding its civilian nuclear programme despite not being signatories to the Non-Proliferation Treaty. This one-of-a-kind partnership signalled a change in New Delhi's strategic relationship with the rest of the world. India has maintained a tight relationship with Russia, with military and defence cooperation being the most crucial component of their relationship.

It has attempted to contain India's ascent while also aiding Pakistan's development by leveraging its economic strength to strengthen relations with India's neighbours such as Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Myanmar. Infrastructure projects in the subcontinent have been a major driver of change in South Asia's political geography. China's Belt and Road Initiative, which envisions a vast road and train network, has been the most widely debated.

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which connects the western section of China to the Gwadar Port in Balochistan as part of the Belt and Road Initiative, allows China easy access to the Arabian Sea. China's development assistance to Sri Lanka has accelerated, with Beijing acquiring the country's strategically positioned Hambantota port. These initiatives in Pakistan and Sri Lanka have provided China with critical access points in the Indian Ocean, a crucial area of Indian influence. Beijing has concluded that having a strong maritime presence in the Indo-Pacific will give it the strategic leverage it needs to establish a regional hegemon.

India has attempted to refocus its goals and partnerships in response to these new foreign policy issues. India has realised the significance of building its own footprint across the greater subcontinent as a result of its perceptions of China's growing impact in South Asia. New Delhi has shifted its focus from decolonization and non-alignment to the ASEAN countries, Central Asia, and the Bay of Bengal region's neighbours.

ASEAN is now India's fourth largest trading partner, thanks to a free trade deal that has facilitated trade as well as the movement of people and capital. It has also taken moves to strengthen its diplomatic ties with Central Asia as part of its "extended neighbourhood," strengthening economic, political, and security cooperation, as well as supporting Central Asian countries in information technology, mining, construction, and industrial production.

India has pursued a regional leadership position in South Asia through a variety of bilateral and multilateral initiatives, while China has focused on bilateral connections rather than multilateral organisations. Both countries, on the other hand, have broadened their usual regional focus. As China seeks to strengthen its ties with South Asia, India has begun to explore beyond its traditional sphere of influence. Its push to Southeast Asia, Central Asia, and the wider Indo-Pacific demonstrates New Delhi's renewed commitment to Asia and its own presence in the area. All of these variables are poised to significantly alter South Asia's geopolitics.

Q2. Explain the role of external powers in South Asia

Ans) When one considers the situation in emerging countries, it is clear that a broader definition of security is required. Scarcity, unemployment, displacement, migration, underdevelopment, insurgency, drug trafficking, small arms proliferation, food and water scarcity, and communal and ethnic violence are all examples of "nonmilitary" factors that contribute to insecurity in developing countries. Some countries' 'nonmilitary' challenges are sufficiently powerful that they prevent the development of essential military capabilities. Furthermore, if these issues were not present, emerging countries would be in a better position to concentrate on growth.

In particular, there was a relationship between democratisation and anti-India sentiment in the region. Political parties are divided along "pro" and "anti-India" lines. In order to mobilise their populace, India has become a punching bag in the neighbourhood. Anti-India sentiments are exploited by political parties and even certain monarchs and dictators in the region to acquire votes or shift attention away from serious internal challenges. India has been thoughtful in reaching out to its little neighbours on the principles of "equality and mutual benefit," mindful of the perception of "big brother" among its neighbours. While "equality" is admired, India's neighbours regard "mutuality" as a factor that works in India's favour.

Some residents in the area believe India is harsh in its handling of anti-India sentiment. During the Cold War, the Nehru and Indira philosophies guided India's relations with its neighbours. The principle of "non-reciprocity" was introduced by the Gujral Doctrine. 'Neighbourhood First' is now a maxim in the Modi Doctrine. Given the importance of personal rapport among leaders in determining threat perception and strategies, India might reach out to leaders and citizens of tiny states in a more deliberate manner. While China has an economic advantage, India has a geographic advantage, as well as cultural and historical linkages. This should be taken advantage of.

South Asian countries must cooperate together to properly address security challenges. SAARC is a single regional organisation that encompasses all of the region's countries in its collaboration in a variety of sectors, including non-traditional security challenges. SAARC Regional Convention on Terrorism, SAARC Regional Convention on Terrorism, SAARC Regional Convention on Terrorism, SAARC Regional Convention on Terrorism, SAARC Regional Convention on Terrorism, SAARC Regional Convention on Terrorism, SAARC Regional Convention on Terrorism, SAARC Regional Convention on Terrorism, SAARC Regional Convention on Terrorism, SAARC Regional Convention on Terrorism, SAARC Regional Convention on Terrorism, SAARC Regional Unfortunately, SAARC is unable to have its scheduled summit meetings due to a slew of challenges and bottlenecks among some of its members.

Assignment - II

Answer the following questions in about 250 words each. Each question carries 10 marks.

Q1. What are the major challenges before SAARC? Elucidate.

Ans) The major challenges before SAARC are:

1. The Indo-centric nature of the SAARC is the first and foremost cause for its inability to fulfil the planned aims. In terms of area, population, natural resources, military force, and economic strength, India has the most dominant position in the region. India controls 76 percent of the total area of South Asia. It has a population of 77 percent of South Asia's total population and a GDP of 71 percent of the region's GDP; it shares borders with all of its member countries.

2. Illegal trade occurs in two ways: first, through physical transfer of goods through both authorised and unauthorised channels; second, through authorised channels, relatively large traders who are also engaged in formal trade carry out illegal trade through authorised channels; they are educated and familiar with regional trade policies. Smaller traders, on the other hand, are only involved in illegal trading through unofficial routes, and there are multiple participating agents operating in a hierarchical constellation.

3. Inter-regional investment and commerce between South Asian countries is little and has remained stagnant over time. As a result, these countries' interconnectedness is fairly restricted.

4. The lack of trust among SAARC member nations has frequently reflected itself in the inefficient management of various of the SAARC's activities. The SAFTA, for example, despite the fact that the seven signatory states adopted the first tariff cut in 2006, Pakistan and India have failed to allow each other to benefit from the deal.

Q2. What are main linguistic divisions in South Asia? Explain.

Ans) In contrast to many other continents and peoples, South Asia is also the epicentre of vast linguistic diversity. India is the country in the region with the most diversified language base, among other things. Despite the fact that Hindi is the native tongue of the vast majority of Indians, who speak a variety of dialects based on Hindi and Sanskrit, a sizable portion of the population speaks languages other than Hindi. What's most amazing in this perspective is that India is home to languages like Sanskrit and Tamil, which are considered among the world's oldest linguistic innovations.

As a result, it's no surprise that the country's rich linguistic diversity can be found in practically every corner. While Hindi speakers can be found in the northern and central portions of India, along with pockets of Punjabi and other regional languages, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam are spoken in the southern states. Similarly, whereas people in western states speak languages like Marathi, Konkani, and Gujarati, people in eastern states mostly speak Bengali, Assamese, Nepali, and Odiya. Surprisingly, most, if not all, of these languages have a substantial amount of literature in addition to their own scripts. The Indian Constitution's 8th Schedule recognises a total of 22 official languages.

The different civilisational traditions from which the people draw their heritage and continue to abide by are responsible for South Asia's linguistic diversity. Indo-Aryan, Indo-European, Dravidian, Austro-Asiatic, Sino-Tibetan, Austronesian, Indo-Iranian, Tibeto-Burman, and Indo-Arabic are among the primary linguistic traditions from which numerous South Asian languages evolved.

Q3. Highlight the role of Media in South Asia

Ans) The media's position in South Asia is mainly state-centric, according to nationalism's traditional patterns. This natural propensity has resulted in cost-effective and balanced coverage of events and concerns at times. The writers to this collection recognise the media's potential as an institution that, in addition to ordinary reporting, could/should focus on regional topics of mutual interest and promote regional understanding. The South Asian region is in the epicentre of massive sociopolitical-cultural shifts, as seen by rising consumption, population, unemployment, aspiration, urbanisation, inequality, and conflict within the region.

In this region, the media is becoming increasingly crucial in spreading mass arousal through altering public opinion on a daily basis. The cultural significance and value ascribed to South Asian media, whether print or audio-visual, in the social and political lives of people in the region calls for a better understanding of the region's media history, including media culture, new technology, and its impact on regional politics and economics. This chapter aims to comprehend the dynamics behind the emergence of social media, print media, audio-visual media, and film in these countries, as well as how the media must engage with and apply a cultural and social continuum in moulding public opinion in the South Asian region.

Assignment - III

Write a short note on the following in about 100 words each. Each short note carries 6 marks.

Q1. Civil Society in South Asia

Ans) Many communist and authoritarian countries were compelled to move to democratic forms of governance by civil society organisations during the "third wave" of global democracy. Outside of the formal spheres of politics (state) and business (market), civil society arose as a powerful third sector that actively promoted development and democracy. According to some estimates, India now boasts over 2.5 million non-governmental organisations (NGOs), making it the unofficial "NGO capital of the world." Microcredit and self-help organisations are good examples of this. In South Asia, it is important to emphasise that civil society is essentially pluralistic; it include both civil and uncivil elements, which can contribute favourably or badly to economic progress, democracy, and political reform.

Q2. Refugee issues in South Asia

Ans) South Asian refugees have been incorporated into the region. Three elements can be recognised as influencing refugees' geographic destination. First and foremost, there is physical accessibility. The Chakmas, Tibetans, and Sri Lankan Tamils, for example, have easy access to India. Eighty percent of Afghan refugees in Pakistan were displaced within 250 kilometres of the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. The second factor is cultural and linguistic compatibility. Sri Lankan Tamils and Tamils in India, as well as Afghans and Pathans in Pakistan, speak the same language and share the same culture. The third factor is the host government's political support.

Support from India for Sri Lankan Tamils and Pakistan for Afghans was a crucial element in increasing refugee flows into both nations. There are three causes for India's lack of refugee production. To begin with, India has a big, accommodating federal structure, with even its states accepting those in need. There is a high absorption rate by neighbouring states when there is mass movement in a state. Second, both the Centre and the States are capable of absorbing shocks and violence, allowing for a rapid return to normalcy. Third, because the living circumstances of neighbouring nations are worse than in India, there is no outflow from India to them.

Q3. River Disputes in South Asia

Ans) The intricate orientation of the region's rivers, which cut over several countries, along with a hostile and uncompromising geopolitical scenario among neighbouring riparian countries, highlights the strategic importance played by water in the region.

The origins of water disputes among South Asian subcontinent countries can be traced back to British times. Following the partition, the division and sharing of rights over flowing water between newly created nations sparked political conflict, which fortunately resulted in landmark agreements, treaties, and memorandums of understanding, such as the Indus Water Treaty, Mahakali Water Treaty, and Ganges Water Treaty, which led to a peaceful solution. Following the ratification of these mutual agreements, the countries involved maximised their gains by utilising the region's resources.

Q4. Supreme Court of India

Ans) As India's supreme constitutional court, it hears appeals mostly from high courts in various states of the Union, as well as other courts and tribunals. It is responsible for protecting citizens' fundamental rights and resolving conflicts between various government authorities, such as the central government vs. state governments or state governments vs. another state government in the country. As an advisory court, it considers cases that the president of India may refer to it directly under the Constitution. The Supreme Court's decision is binding on all Indian courts, as well as the federal and state governments.

Q5. LTTE in Sri Lanka

Ans) The main armed group involved in the fighting was the LTTE. The LTTE was founded in 1976 by Velupillai Prabhakaran with the goal of creating an independent Tamil state known as Tamil Eelam against the Sinhala majority Sri Lankan government. LTTE became known as one of the deadliest terrorist organisations during the armed war, carrying out multiple suicide assaults against civilians of all ethnicities, deploying child fighters, and assassinating politicians and military targets. In May 1991, the LTTE carried out a suicide strike in Tamil Nadu, murdering former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. Ranasinghe Premadasa, the president of Sri Lanka, was also slain by the organisation.