India has embarked upon an ambitious project of becoming a great power. India’s International standing improved significantly in post 9/11 global order because of greater convergence of its interests with the US. India boasts that it... more
India has embarked upon an ambitious project of becoming a great power. India’s International standing improved significantly in post 9/11 global order because of greater convergence of its interests with the US. India boasts that it possesses the requisite characteristics of a great power for being largest functional secular democracy with stable economy and increasing military power. However, there are some fundamental impediments in India’s way of realising its aspiring dreams: the unresolved and dangerous border disputes with China and Pakistan (world’s largest border disputes); range of complex and active insurgencies that are going on in India; and the rise of Hindu nationalism (Hindutva) are a few prominent stumbling blocks in India’s bumpy road to excellence. This paper will examine these three major reasons in the way of India’s projected rise and its inherent vulnerabilities thereof, which might help important stakeholders in the regional peace, especially Pakistan, to revisit their respective policies/ strategies for the purpose of achieving ultimate peace in this region.
This article investigates the causes of India's Maoist insurgency and its changing dynamics. To explain its origins, we empirically test three hypotheses using cross-state-level data: inequality of wealth in states; inefficient state... more
This article investigates the causes of India's Maoist insurgency and its changing dynamics. To explain its origins, we empirically test three hypotheses using cross-state-level data: inequality of wealth in states; inefficient state government; and, disgruntled provocateurs. Our analysis reveals that insurgency is caused by inequality of wealth in states, not inefficient state governments and disgruntled provocateurs. Subsequently, we study variations in the number of Maoist attacks and the selected targets in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal using newspaper reports of events. Our analysis demonstrates that the numbers of incidents and the type of targets selected depend on electoral competition between regional political parties and their interactions with Maoists. The findings, therefore, indicate that whereas inequality of wealth can explain the insurgency's presence in states, political competition within states could explain its dynamics.
