Indian Foreign and Security Policy in South Asia Regional Power Strategies [Hardcover]

This book examines Indian foreign policy and security relations in its eastern regional neighbourhood.

Indian Foreign and Security Policy in South Asiaconducts an in-depth analysis into Indias foreign policy towards the three main countries in Indias Eastern neighbourhood  Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Bangladesh. In particular, it deals with Indias role in the final years of the civil war in Sri Lanka, its approach to the peace and democratisation process in Nepal, and Indian foreign policy towards Bangladesh on a range of issues including Islamist militancy, migration, border security, and insurgency.

Set within an analytical framework centred on the notions of empire, hegemony, and leadership, the study reveals that India pursued predominantly hegemonic strategies and was not able to generate genuine followership among its smaller neighbours. The South Asian case therefore shows the discrepancy that may exist between the possession of power capabilities and the ability to exercise actual influence: a conclusion which lifts the study from geographical specifics, and extends its relevance to other cases and cross-regional comparisons.

This text will be of much interest to students of Indian foreign policy, Asian security, foreign policy analysis, strategic studies and IR in general.

1. Introduction: India in its Troubled Neighbourhood  2. Empire, Hegemony, and Leadership: Assessing the Strategies of Regional Powers  3. India: The Regional Power in South Asia  4. The Civil War in Sri Lanka and Indias Unsuccessful Hegemonic Strategy  5. Nepals Peace Process and Indias Partially Successful Hegemonic Strategy  6. Security Threats from Bangladesh and Indias Failed Hegemonic Strategy  7. South Asia: Lessons Learned

Sandra Destradiis a Research fellow at GIGA German Institute of Global and Area StudielÓå