Topic: India and South Asia
Despite deep ties, India’s relations with Sri Lanka have seen strains due to China’s growing influence in Sri Lanka through investments and economic dominance. Analyse.
Flow snapshot — how the answer movesIntro routesRoute 1 2,500 years + free trade agreement since 2000 → thesis: strain traces to the space Indian delay left open, not to…
Discuss the potential role India can play in initiating a possible phase of trilateral economic engagement among India, China and Nepal.
Flow snapshot — how the answer movesIntro routesRoute 1 Nepal land-locked between two rising economies → foreign policy narrowed to both, not widened to the world → trilateral converts zero-sum…
What are the impediments in the development of South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA)?
Flow snapshot — how the answer movesIntro routesRoute 1 in force since 2006 → intra-regional trade still ~5% against ASEAN’s 25% → tariffs were never the real barrierRoute 2 the…
Discuss the strategic implications of India’s ‘Look East Policy’ transforming into ‘Act East Policy’.
Flow snapshot — how the answer movesIntro routesRoute 1 1991 turn east forced by the Soviet collapse → 2014 renaming changed instruments, not direction → implications cut both waysRoute 2…
Discuss the ways and means to realise greater economic co-operation among the Member States of South Asia.
Flow snapshot — how the answer movesIntro routesRoute 1 5% against ASEAN’s 25% → gap is one of delivery, not agreements → spine: cut the cost of crossing bordersRoute 2…
What are the implications of “Look-East’ Policy on the north-eastern region of India?
Flow snapshot — how the answer movesIntro routesRoute 1 1991 turn east after Soviet collapse → policy changed the region’s status, sealed frontier → transit spaceRoute 2 region practically landlocked…
What are the reasons for lack of ‘regionness’ in South Asia?
Flow snapshot — how the answer movesIntro routesRoute 1 regionness is a degree, not a fact of geography (Hettne–Söderbaum) → the level can fall as well as rise → South…
Why do ethnic conflicts and insurgencies continue to remain major impediments to regional co-operation in South Asia?
Flow snapshot — how the answer movesIntro routesRoute 1 no ethnic conflict in South Asia stays domestic → communities straddle the 1947 and 1971 lines → grievance against own state…
Discuss the significance of “West Asia Quad” in the light of India’s “Look West’ policy.
Flow snapshot — how the answer movesIntro routesRoute 1 Oct 2021 foreign ministers → July 2022 summit → significance is not the “Quad” label but what it did to Look…
Discuss the future of SAARC in the light of India’s increased focus on other regional groupings like ASEAN and BIMSTEC.
Flow snapshot — how the answer movesIntro routesRoute 1 not wound up, left unused → no summit since Kathmandu 2014 → Modi: through SAARC or outside it → India has…
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