Contemporary South Asia and India's Neighbourhood
What the domain tests
This domain tests India's relations with Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Maldives and Afghanistan, and the recurring issues of water, borders, migration, security and China's role.
Core rules and concepts
- South Asia is marked by asymmetric interdependence: India is the largest economy and military power, but smaller neighbours have strategic options.
- India-Pakistan issues include Kashmir, cross-border terrorism, the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty and the 1972 Simla Agreement.
- India-Bangladesh issues include the 1971 liberation legacy, Farakka/Ganges water sharing, the 1996 Ganga Treaty, migration and border enclaves.
- Nepal's 1950 Treaty of Peace and Friendship is resented as unequal; Bhutan's 1949 treaty was revised in 2007.
- Sri Lanka's civil war involved India through the 1987 Indo-Sri Lanka Accord and the IPKF; the Tamil question remains sensitive.
- Maldives and Bhutan rely on India for security and development but guard their sovereignty.
- The Gujral Doctrine proposed non-reciprocal concessions to smaller neighbours to build trust.
Worked example
Why is Ganges water sharing contentious? Reasoning: Bangladesh needs dry-season flow; India diverts water at Farakka for Kolkata port; the 1996 treaty created a sharing formula but depends on rainfall and upstream use. The dispute is distributive, not merely symbolic.
Traps that cost marks
- Treating all neighbourhood disputes as bilateral; China's presence affects Nepal, Sri Lanka and Maldives.
- Forgetting the 1996 Ganga Treaty when discussing India-Bangladesh water.
- Assuming the Gujral Doctrine was a formal treaty; it was a policy approach.
- Ignoring domestic politics in neighbouring countries.