Ranbir Singh Pathania
mlaudhampureast@gmail.com
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” Martin Luther King Jr.’s warning resonates powerfully today across India’s near neighbourhood-one passing through a moment of profound churn, political contestation, ideological extremism, and civilisational uncertainty.
South Asia is passing through a moment of profound churn-political, ideological, and civilisational. What we are witnessing is not a series of isolated crises, but a structural pattern of democratic backsliding, institutional hollowing, and the resurgence of fundamentalist forces. For India-a civilisation-state that understands itself as Bharat as much as Hindustan-these developments are not peripheral disturbances. They strike at the very core of our strategic interests, moral responsibilities, and historical memory.
Bangladesh, once a symbol of secularism and pluralism born from the trauma of 1971, now finds itself in political uncertainty. The removal of a democratically elected government under contested circumstances, the marginalisation of its leadership, and the vandalism of Liberation War symbols point to a deeper malaise. The reassertion of forces historically associated with collaborationism in 1971 raises troubling questions about the trajectory of the Bangladeshi state. This is not merely an internal matter-Bangladesh’s stability is a cornerstone of India’s eastern security architecture. Any weakening of its democratic foundations risks radicalisation, cross-border criminality, and external manipulation, with reports of violence against minorities underscoring how quickly instability can become a humanitarian crisis.
To the west, Pakistan’s democratic institutions have been steadily hollowed out. The recent imprisonment and long sentencing of an elected Prime Minister-following a trial widely perceived as politically driven-reinforces the dominance of unelected power centres. The reactivation of radical modules and continued ideological radicalisation are symptoms of systemic dysfunction, with a weakened civilian state repeatedly externalising instability toward India.
India’s neighbourhood is facing a moment of profound crisis-democratic backsliding, the resurgence of religious extremism, and the erosion of institutional legitimacy are no longer isolated events but structural shifts across South Asia. For India, a civilisation-state that defines itself as both Bharat and Hindustan, these developments are not distant disturbances but direct challenges to its strategic, moral, and historical responsibilities.
Faultlines
Bangladesh, once a symbol of secularism and pluralism born from the trauma of 1971, now finds itself in political uncertainty. The removal of a democratically elected government under contested circumstances, the marginalisation of its leadership, and the vandalism of Liberation War symbols point to a deeper malaise. The reassertion of forces historically associated with collaborationism in 1971 raises troubling questions about the trajectory of the Bangladeshi state. This is not merely an internal matter-Bangladesh’s stability is a cornerstone of India’s eastern security architecture. Any weakening of its democratic foundations risks radicalisation, cross-border criminality, and external manipulation, with reports of violence against minorities underscoring how quickly instability can become a humanitarian crisis.
To the west, Pakistan’s democratic institutions have been steadily hollowed out. The recent imprisonment and long sentencing of an elected Prime Minister-following a trial widely perceived as politically driven-reinforces the dominance of unelected power centres. The reactivation of radical modules and continued ideological radicalisation are symptoms of systemic dysfunction, with a weakened civilian state repeatedly externalising instability toward India.
Strategic Challenge
Pakistan’s renewed diplomatic outreach to West Asia and Africa, coupled with China’s expanding economic footprint and strategic investments, creates a complex challenge for India. This convergence-China’s capital, Pakistan’s security networks, and ideological mobilisers-forms a mutually reinforcing ecosystem that seeks to constrain India’s strategic space.
India’s response must be neither reactive nor episodic. Strategic restraint is valuable, but it must not be confused with strategic silence. India must articulate a clear regional doctrine that places democratic legitimacy and institutional stability at the heart of its neighbourhood engagement. This does not require ideological evangelism, but firm, multilateral conviction is essential to India’s credibility as a regional leader.
Way Ahead
India must deepen engagement beyond ruling establishments, focusing on civil society, youth, economic stakeholders, and cultural institutions across South Asia. People-to-people ties have historically insulated bilateral relationships from political shocks and must be institutionalised as a core pillar of foreign policy.
Internal vigilance is inseparable from external strategy. Extremism does not respect borders, and ideological currents in the neighbourhood often find resonance domestically. Social cohesion, institutional trust, and political unity are strategic imperatives. The enactment of the Citizenship Amendment Act and related reforms are steps in the right direction, but vigilance around elections in West Bengal and the prevention of mass migrations into Indian territory remain critical.
India must leverage its growing diplomatic capital as a leading voice in the Global South and a consequential player in the Indo-Pacific. Internationalising concerns about democratic erosion and extremism in its neighbourhood-without framing them as bilateral disputes-will be key. Norm-setting, not megaphone diplomacy, will define India’s leadership.
Civilisational Ethos
India must draw strength from its civilisational ethos-the ‘idea of Bharat’ has always rested on pluralism, restraint, and moral clarity. In a region where power is increasingly asserted through coercion and exclusion, India’s distinctive advantage lies in demonstrating that stability flows from inclusion, not repression.
The neighbourhood is entering a phase where political disorder and ideological radicalism reinforce each other. The costs of inaction are high, but the risks of miscalculation are higher. India must act with calibrated firmness-anchored in values, guided by strategic realism, and confident in its civilisational inheritance. Leadership in South Asia will be earned by upholding order when institutions falter, defending democracy without destabilisation, and countering extremism without abandoning principle. That is the strategic test before India today–and it is one India must be prepared to meet
(The columnist is member of Legislative Assembly of J&K )
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