Class 12th Political Science (Contemprory World Politics)

CLASS 12th - POLITICAL SCIENCE - CONTEMPORARY SOUTH ASIA
Introduction: Contemporary World Politics
South Asia
Larger Global Development Our own region When India and Pakistan joined the club
of nuclear powers, this region suddenly
● The various kinds of conflict in this region. became the focus of global attention.
● There are pending border and water sharing disputes
between the states of the region.
● Besides, there are conflicts arising out of insurgency,
Why?
ethnic strife.
● At the same time, many people in South Asia recognise
the fact that this region can develop and prosper if the
states of the region cooperate with each other. Theme of the chapter
Introduction: Contemporary World Politics
What we are going to study in this chapter?
❖ What is South Asia?

❖ Timeline of South Asia
❖ The military and democracy in Pakistan
❖ Democracy in Bangladesh
❖ Monarchy and democracy in Nepal
❖ Ethnic conflict and democracy in Sri Lanka
❖ India-Pakistan conflicts
❖ India and its neighbours
❖ Peace and cooperation
What is South Asia? Contemporary World Politics
South Asia
Ours is a region where rivalry and

goodwill, hope and despair, mutual
suspicion and trust coexist.
What is South Asia?
● The expression ‘South Asia’ usually includes the following countries: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India,
the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
● The mighty Himalayas in the north and the vast Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea and the Bay of
Bengal in the south, west and east respectively provide a natural insularity to the region, which
is largely responsible for the linguistic, social and cultural distinctiveness of the subcontinent.
● Afghanistan and Myanmar are often included in discussions of the region as a whole.
● China is an important player but is not considered to be a part of the region.
Thus defined, South Asia stands for diversity in every sense

and yet constitutes one geopolitical space.
Thus defined, South Asia stands for diversity in every sense and yet constitutes one geopolitical space.
Countries in South Asia do not have the same kind of political system.
➔ India and Sri Lanka has successfully operated as a democratic system since their independence.
➔ Pakistan and Bangladesh have experienced both civilian and military rulers.
➔ Till 2006, Nepal was a constitutional monarchy with the danger of the king taking over executive
powers. In 2008, the monarchy was abolished and Nepal emerged as a democratic republic.
➔ Bhutan became a constitutional monarchy in 2008. Under the leadership of the king, it emerged
as a multi-party democracy.
➔ The Maldives, the other island nation, was a Sultanate till 1968 when it was transformed into a
republic with a presidential form of government. In June 2005, the parliament of the Maldives
voted unanimously to introduce a multiparty system.
Despite the mixed record of the democratic experience, the people in all these countries share the
aspiration for democracy.
Analyse the recent surveys
In that sense the South Asian

experience of democracy has
expanded the global
imagination of democracy.
United Nations Development Programme, Human Development Report, 2018

Timeline of South Asia Since 1947: Contemporary World Politics
❖ 1947:
➢ India and Pakistan emerge as independent
nations after the end of British rule
❖ 1948:
➢ Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) gains independence.
➢ Indo Pak conflict over Kashmir.
❖ 1954-55:
➢ Pakistan joins the Cold War military blocs,
SEATO and CENTO.
❖ 1960:
➢ India and Pakistan sign the Indus
Waters Treaty.
❖ 1962:
➢ Border conflict between India and
China.
❖ 1965:
➢ Indo-Pak War; UN India-Pakistan
Observation Mission.
❖ 1966:
➢ India and Pakistan sign the Tashkent Agreement.
➢ Six-point proposal of Sheikh Mujib-ur Rahman for
greater autonomy to East Pakistan.
❖ 1971 March:
➢ Proclamation of Independence by leaders of
Bangladesh.
❖ August:
➢ Indo-Soviet Treaty of Friendship signed for 20 years.
❖ December:
➢ Indo-Pak War, Liberation of Bangladesh.
❖ 1972 July:
➢ India and Pakistan sign the Shimla Agreement.
❖ 1974 May:
➢ India conducts nuclear test.
❖ 1976:
➢ Pakistan and Bangladesh establish diplomatic
ties.
❖ 1985 December:
➢ South Asian leaders sign the SAARC Charter at
the first summit in Dhaka.
❖ 1987:
➢ Indo-Sri Lanka Accord; Indian Peace Keeping Force
(IPKF) operation in Sri Lanka (1987-90).
❖ 1988:
➢ India sends troops to the Maldives to foil a coup
attempt by mercenaries.
➢ India and Pakistan sign the agreement not to attack
nuclear installations and facilities of each other.
❖ 1988-91:
➢ Democracy restoration in Pakistan, Bangladesh and
Nepal.
❖ 1996 December:
➢ India and Bangladesh sign the Farakka Treaty
for sharing of the Ganga Waters.
❖ 1998 May:
➢ India and Pakistan conducted nuclear tests.
❖ December:
➢ India and Sri Lanka sign the Free Trade
Agreement (FTA).
❖ 1999 February:
➢ Indian PM Vajpayee undertakes bus journey
to Lahore to sign a Peace Declaration.
❖ June-July:1999
➢ Kargil conflict between India and Pakistan.
❖ 2001 July:
➢ Vajpayee - Musharraf Agra Summit unsuccessful.
❖ 2004 January:
➢ SAFTA signed at the 12th SAARC Summit in Islamabad.
❖ 2007:
➢ Afghanistan joined SAARC.
❖ 2014 November:
➢ The 18th SAARC Summit in Kathmandu, Nepal.
The Military and Democracy in Pakistan: Contemporary World Politics
Political succession in Pakistan
● After Pakistan framed its first constitution, General Ayub Khan took over the administration of
the country and soon got himself elected.
● He had to give up office when there was popular dissatisfaction against his rule.
Military rule under General Yahya Khan
During Yahya’s military rule, Pakistan faced the Bangladesh crisis, and after a war with India in
1971, East Pakistan broke away to emerge as an independent country called Bangladesh.
After 1971 war An elected government under the leadership of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
came to power in Pakistan from 1971 to 1977.
● The Bhutto government was removed by General Zia-ul-Haq in 1977.
● General Zia faced a pro-democracy movement from 1982 onwards and

and an elected democratic government was established once again in
1988 under the leadership of Benazir Bhutto.
Benazir Bhutto
Period after 1988
Pakistani politics centered around the political

competition between the party of Benazir
Bhutto (The Pakistan people’s party) and the
party of Nawaz Sharif (The muslim league).
Nawaz Sharif
This phase of elective democracy lasted till 1999
when the army stepped in again and General
Pervez Musharraf removed Prime Minister
Nawaz Sharif.
Military rule under general Pervez Musharraf
● General Musharraf got himself elected as the

President. Pakistan continued to be ruled by the
army, though the army rulers have held some
elections to give their rule a democratic image.
● Since 2008, democratically elected leaders have
been ruling Pakistan.
This cartoon comments on the dual role of

Pakistan’s ruler Pervez Musharraf as the President
of the country and as the army General.
Factors contributed to Pakistan’s failure in building a stable democracy.
● The social dominance of the military, clergy, and landowning aristocracy has led to the
frequent overthrow of elected governments and the establishment of military government.
● Pakistan’s conflict with India has made the pro-military groups more powerful.
Explain
● The lack of genuine international support for democratic rule in Pakistan has further
encouraged the military to continue its dominance.
Explain
● While democracy has not been fully successful in Pakistan, there

has been a strong pro-democracy sentiment in the country.
● Pakistan has a courageous and relatively free press and a strong

human rights movement.
The United States and other Western countries have encouraged
the military’s authoritarian rule in the past, for their own reasons.
Their fear of the threat of what they call ‘global Islamic terrorism’
and the apprehension that Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal might fall into
the hands of these terrorist groups, the military regime in Pakistan
has been seen as the protector of Western interests in West Asia and
South Asia.
Democracy in Bangladesh: Contemporary World Politics
Bangladesh
Before
(1947)... 1971 Till now
Reason for partition
The people of this region resented the domination of

western Pakistan and the imposition of the Urdu language.
Demands of the people of East Pakistan
➔ Since 1947, they began protests against the unfair treatment

meted out to the Bengali culture and language.
➔ They also demanded fair representation in administration
and a fair share in political power.
➔ Sheikh Mujibur Rahman led the popular struggle against
West Pakistani domination.
➔ He demanded autonomy for the eastern region.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
Election of 1970 and the aftermath
● In the 1970 elections in the then Pakistan, the Awami League led by Sheikh Mujib won all
the seats in East Pakistan and secured a majority in the proposed constituent assembly for
the whole of Pakistan.
● But the government dominated by the West Pakistani leadership refused to convene the
assembly.
● Sheikh Mujib was arrested. Under the military rule of General Yahya Khan.
● The Pakistani army tried to suppress the mass movement of the Bengali people.
● Thousands were killed by the Pakistan army.
Impact Connection with India

Atrocities over the people of East Pakistan
● This led to a large scale migration into India, creating a huge refugee problem for India.
● The government of India supported the demand of the people of East Pakistan for their
independence and helped them financially and militarily.
Outcome
Indo-Pakistan of 1971
The surrender of the Pakistani forces in East Pakistan and

Happy
the formation of Bangladesh as an independent country. Ending
■ Bangladesh drafted its constitution declaring faith in secularism,
democracy and socialism.
After 1971 ■ However, in 1975 Sheikh Mujib got the constitution amended to
shift from the parliamentary to presidential form of government.
■ He also abolished all parties except his own, the Awami League.
Conflicts and Tensions
● He was assassinated in a military uprising in August 1975.

Happy Ending ● The new military ruler, Ziaur Rahman, formed his own Bangladesh
National Party and won elections in 1979.
Ziaur Rehman
He was assassinated and another military take over followed under the leadership of
Lt. General H.M. Ershad.
● The people of Bangladesh soon rose in support of the demand for democracy.
● Students were in the forefront.
● Ershad was forced to allow political activity on a limited scale.
● He was later elected as President for five years.
● Mass public protests made Ershad step down in 1990.
Since then representative democracy based on multi-party

elections has been working in Bangladesh.
Monarchy and Democracy in Nepal: Contemporary World Politics
The king accepted the demand for a new democratic constitution in
1990, in the wake of a strong pro-democracy movement.
However, democratic governments had a short and troubled career.
Why?
Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev
Rise of Maoist movement They believed in armed insurrection against the monarch
and the ruling elite.
Conflict
Impact of conflict among various groups in Nepal
In 2002, the king abolished the parliament

and dismissed the government, thus
ending even the limited democracy that
existed in Nepal.
Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah

Pro democratic movement of 2006
● In April 2006, there were massive,

country wide, pro democracy protests.
● The struggling pro-democracy forces
achieved their first major victory when
the king was forced to restore the House
of Representatives that had been
dissolved in April 2002.
● The largely non-violent movement was
led by the Seven Party Alliance (SPA),
the Maoists and social activists.
Nepal and Democracy
● Nepal has undergone a unique moment in its history because it formed a constituent assembly
to draft the constitution for Nepal.
● Some sections in Nepal thought that a nominal monarchy was necessary for Nepal to retain its
link with the past.
● The Maoist groups agreed to suspend armed struggle. They wanted the constitution to include
the radical programmes of social and economic restructuring.
Challenges
● All the parties in the SPA did not agree with this programme.
● The Maoists and some other political groups were also deeply suspicious of
the Indian government and its role in the future of Nepal.
➔ In 2008, Nepal became a democratic republic
after abolishing the monarchy.
➔ In 2015, it adopted a new constitution.
Nepali president Ram Baran Yadav

Ethnic Conflicts and Democracy in Sri Lanka: Contemporary World Politics
Sri Lanka Retained democracy since its independence in 1948.
● But it faced a serious challenge, not from the military or monarchy but rather from
ethnic conflict leading to the demand for secession by one of the regions.
Sinhala V/S Tamils

Reasons for Ethnic Conflicts
● After its independence, politics in Sri Lanka was dominated by forces that represented the
interest of the majority Sinhala community.
● They were hostile to a large number of Tamils who had migrated from India to Sri Lanka and
settled there.
● This migration continued even after independence.
● The Sinhala nationalists thought that Sri Lanka should not give ‘concessions’ to the Tamils
because Sri Lanka belongs to the Sinhala people only.
Impact
The neglect of Tamil concerns led to militant Tamil nationalism. LTTE

Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
From 1983 onwards, the militant organisation, the

Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam(LTTE) has been
fighting an armed struggle with the army of Sri
Lanka and demanding ‘Tamil Eelam’ or a separate
country for the Tamils of Sri Lanka.
India-Sri Lanka and Sri Lankan problem of ethnic conflicts
The Sri Lankan problem involves people of Indian origin. Explain
Tamil people in India wants that the Indian government

should protect the interests of Tamils in Sri Lanka.
● The government of India has from time to time tried to negotiate with the Sri Lankan
government on the Tamil question.
● But in 1987, the government of India for the first time got directly involved in the Sri
Lankan Tamil question.
India - Sri Lanka peace accord, 1987 Impact

India - Sri Lanka peace accord
● India signed an accord with Sri Lanka and sent troops to stabilise relations between
the Sri Lankan government and the Tamils.
● Eventually, the Indian Army got into a fight with the LTTE.
● The presence of Indian troops was also not liked much by the Sri Lankans.
● They saw this as an attempt by India to interfere in the internal affairs of Sri Lanka.
● In 1989, the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) pulled out of Sri Lanka without
attaining its objective.
Failure?
How the problem of ethnic conflicts was solved?
● The Sri Lankan crisis continued to be violent.
● However, international actors, particularly the

Scandinavian countries such as Norway and
Iceland tried to bring the warring groups back to
negotiations.
● Finally, the armed conflict came to an end, as The cartoon depicts the dilemma of the Sri
the LTTE was vanquished in 2009. Lankan leadership in trying to balance Sinhala
hardliners or the Lion and Tamil militants or the
Tiger while negotiating peace.
Peculiarities in the democracy of Sri lanka
● In spite of the conflict, Sri Lanka has registered considerable economic growth and
recorded high levels of human development.
● Sri Lanka was one of the first developing countries to successfully control the rate of
growth of population, the first country in the region to liberalise the economy.
● It has had the highest per capita gross domestic product (GDP) for many years right
through the civil war.
● Despite the ravages of internal conflict, it has maintained a democratic political system.
India-Pakistan Conflicts: Contemporary World Politics
Areas of conflict in the international relations in this region.
Understand the under current of this statement.
Given the position of India in this region, most of these

conflicts involve India.
The most salient and overwhelming of these conflicts is,

of course, the one between India and Pakistan.
Areas of conflict between India-Pakistan
● Kashmir Issue
● Acquisition of arms
● Interference in the internal issue
● Sharing of water
● Border disputes
India V/S Pakistan
Conflict over the fate of Kashmir.
● The Pakistani government claimed that Kashmir belonged to it.

● Wars between India and Pakistan in 1947-48 and 1965 failed to
settle the matter.
● The 1947 - 48 war resulted in the division of the province into
Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and the Indian province of Jammu
and Kashmir divided by the Line of Control.
● In 1971, India won a decisive war against Pakistan but the
Kashmir issue remained unsettled.
India’s conflict with Pakistan is also over strategic issues like the
control of the Siachen glacier and over acquisition of arms.
● The arms race between the two countries assumed a

new character with both states acquiring nuclear
weapons and missiles to deliver such arms against
each other in the 1990s.
● In 1998, India conducted nuclear explosion in Pokaran.
● Pakistan responded within a few days by carrying out
nuclear tests in the Chagai Hills.
● Since then India and Pakistan seem to have built a
military relationship in which the possibility of a direct
and full-scale war has declined.
➔ Both the governments are suspicious of each other regarding
the matters of interference in internal affairs.
India’s stand
● The Indian government has blamed the Pakistan government for using a
strategy of low-key violence by helping the Kashmiri militants with arms,
training, money and protection to carry out terrorist strikes against India.
● The Indian government also believes that Pakistan had aided the pro
Khalistani militants with arms and ammunitions during the period 1985-1995.
● Its spy agency, Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), is alleged to be involved in
various anti-India campaigns in India’s northeast, operating secretly through
Bangladesh and Nepal.
Pakistan’s Stand
The government of Pakistan, in turn,

blames the Indian government and its
security agencies for fomenting trouble in
the provinces of Sindh and Balochistan.
➔ India and Pakistan also have had problems over the sharing of river waters.
● Until 1960, they were locked in a fierce argument over the use of the rivers of the Indus basin.
● Eventually, in 1960, with the help of the World Bank, India and Pakistan signed the Indus
Waters Treaty which has survived to this day in spite of various military conflicts in which the
two countries have been involved.
● There are still some minor differences about the interpretation of the Indus Waters Treaty and
the use of the river waters.
Border Disputes
● The two countries are not in agreement over the demarcation

line in Sir Creek in the Rann of Kutch.
● The dispute seems minor, but there is an underlying worry that

how the dispute is settled may have an impact on the control of
sea resources in the area adjoining Sir Creek.
● India and Pakistan are holding negotiations on all these issues.

India and its other Neighbours: Contemporary World Politics
Indian government’s stand V/S Bangladesh government’s stand
● The * government has been unhappy with

Indian
INDIA ● Bangladeshi governments have felt
Bangladesh’s denial of illegal immigration to that the Indian government behaves
India. like a regional bully over the sharing
● Its support for anti-Indian Islamic *
fundamentalist
BANGLADESH of river waters.
groups. ● Encouraging rebellion in the
● Bangladesh’s refusal to allow Indian troops to Chittagong Hill Tracts.
move through its territory to northeastern India, ● Trying to extract its natural gas and
and its decision not to export natural gas to India being unfair in trade.
or allow Myanmar to do so through Bangladeshi
territory.
Despite their differences, India and Bangladesh do cooperate on many issues.
● Economic relations have improved considerably in the last 20 years.
● Bangladesh is a part of India’s Look East (Act East since 2014) policy that wants to link up with
Southeast Asia via Myanmar.
● On disaster management and environmental issues, the two states have cooperated regularly.
● In 2015, they exchanged certain enclaves.
Efforts are on to broaden the areas of cooperation further by identifying common threats and
being more sensitive to each other’s needs.
India-Nepal
Special about India-Nepal relationship.
A treaty between the two countries allows the citizens of the two countries to
travel and work in the other country without visas and passports.
No Problem
Area of conflict between India and Nepal
● Despite this special relationship, the governments of the two countries have had trade related
disputes in the past.
● The Indian government has often expressed displeasure at the warm relationship between
Nepal and China and at the Nepal government’s inaction against anti India elements.
● Indian security agencies see the Maoist movement in Nepal as a growing security threat, given
the rise of Naxalite groups in various Indian states from Bihar in the north to Andhra Pradesh in
the south.
● Many leaders and citizens in Nepal think that the Indian government interferes in its internal
affairs, has designs on its river waters and hydro-electricity, and prevents Nepal, a landlocked
country, from getting easier access to the sea through Indian territory.
Conclusion
● Nevertheless, Indo-Nepal relations are fairly stable and peaceful.
● Despite differences, trade, scientific cooperation, common natural resources, electricity

generation and interlocking water management grids hold the two countries together.
● There is a hope that the consolidation of democracy in Nepal will lead to improvements in the
ties between the two countries.
India and Sri Lanka
● The difficulties in the relationship between the

governments of India and Sri Lanka are mostly
over ethnic conflict in the island nation.
● Indian leaders and citizens find it impossible to
remain neutral when Tamils are politically
unhappy and are being killed.
● After the military intervention in 1987, the Indian
government now prefers a policy of
disengagement vis-à-vis Sri Lanka’s internal
troubles.
Explain
Areas of cooperation
● India signed a free trade agreement with Sri Lanka, which strengthened relations between two
countries.
● India’s help in post-tsunami reconstruction in Sri Lanka has also brought the two countries closer.
India and Bhutan
● India enjoys a very special relationship with Bhutan too and does not have any major conflict
with the Bhutanese government.
● The efforts made by the Bhutanese monarch to weed out the guerrillas and militants from
northeastern India that operate in his country have been helpful to India.
● India is involved in big hydroelectric projects in Bhutan and remains the Himalayan kingdom’s
biggest source of development aid.
India - Maldives
● India’s ties with the Maldives remain warm and

cordial.
● In November 1988, when some Tamil mercenaries
from Sri Lanka attacked the Maldives, the Indian
air force and navy reacted quickly to the Maldives’
request to help stop the invasion.
● India has also contributed towards the island’s
economic development, tourism and fisheries.
Analyse the topic
● You may have noticed that India has various problems with its smaller neighbours in
the region. Why?
Given its size and power, they are bound to be suspicious of India’s intentions.
● The Indian government, on the other hand, often feels exploited by its neighbours.
● It does not like the political instability in these countries, fearing it can help outside
powers to gain influence in the region.
● The smaller countries fear that India wants to be a regionally-dominant power.
Not all conflicts in South Asia are between India and its neighbours.
● Nepal and Bhutan, as well as Bangladesh and Myanmar, have had disagreements
in the past over the migration of ethnic Nepalese into Bhutan and the Rohingyas
into Myanmar.
● Bangladesh and Nepal have had some differences over the future of the
Himalayan river waters.
The major conflicts and differences, though, are between India and the others, partly
because of the geography of the region, in which India is located centrally and is
therefore the only country that borders the others.
Peace and Cooperation: Contemporary World Politics
In spite of the many conflicts, the states of South Asia recognise the importance
of cooperation and friendly relationship, among themselves.
The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).
● (SAARC) is a major regional initiative by the South Asian states to evolve cooperation through
multilateral means.
● It began in 1985.
● SAARC members signed the South Asian Free Trade (SAFTA) agreement which promised the
formation of a free trade zone for the whole of South Asia.
SAARC - Expectations and Outcomes
● A new chapter of peace and cooperation

might evolve in South Asia if all the
countries in the region allow free trade
across the borders.
● This is the spirit behind the idea of SAFTA.
● The Agreement was signed in 2004 and
came into effect on 1 January 2006.
● SAFTA aims at lowering trade tariffs.
Outcomes
● Some of our neighbours fear that SAFTA is a way for India to ‘invade’ their markets and to
influence their societies and politics through commercial ventures and a commercial
presence in their countries.
● India thinks that there are real economic benefits for all from SAFTA and that a region that
trades more freely will be able to cooperate better on political issues.
● Some in India think that SAFTA is not worth the trouble since India already has bilateral
agreements with Bhutan, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
India and Pakistan : Peace and Cooperation
● Although India-Pakistan relations seem to be a story of endemic conflict and violence, there
have been a series of efforts to manage tensions and build peace.
● The two countries have agreed to undertake confidence building measures to reduce the risk
of war.
● Social activists and prominent personalities have collaborated to create an atmosphere of
friendship among the people of both countries.
● Leaders have met at summits to understand each other better and to find solutions to the
major problems between the two neighbours.
● A number of bus routes have been opened up between the two countries.
● Trade between the two parts of Punjab has increased substantially in the last five years. Visas
have been more easily given.
Role of outside power in this region
China and the United States remain key

Why?
players in South Asian politics.
➔ Role of China
● Sino-Indian relations have improved significantly in the last ten years, but China’s strategic
partnership with Pakistan remains a major irritant.
● The demands of development and globalisation have brought the two Asian giants closer, and
their economic ties have multiplied rapidly since 1991.
➔ Role of America
● American involvement in South Asia has rapidly increased after the Cold War.
● The US has had good relations with both India and Pakistan since the end of the Cold War and
increasingly works as a moderator in India-Pakistan relations.
● Economic reforms and liberal economic policies in both countries have greatly increased the
depth of American participation in the region.
● The large South Asian diasporas in the US and the huge size of the population and markets of
the region also give America an added stake in the future of regional security and peace.
Conclusion
Whether South Asia will continue to be known as a conflict prone zone or

will evolve into a regional bloc with some common cultural features and
trade interests will depend more on the people and the governments of the
region than any other outside power.

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CLASS 12th - POLITICAL SCIENCE - CONTEMPORARY SOUTH ASIA

Introduction: Contemporary World Politics

❖ What is South Asia?

Ours is a region where rivalry and

Thus defined, South Asia stands for diversity in every sense

Analyse the recent surveys

In that sense the South Asian

United Nations Development Programme, Human Development Report, 2018

Military rule under General Yahya Khan

● The Bhutto government was removed by General Zia-ul-Haq in 1977.

● General Zia faced a pro-democracy movement from 1982 onwards and

Pakistani politics centered around the political

● General Musharraf got himself elected as the

This cartoon comments on the dual role of

● While democracy has not been fully successful in Pakistan, there

● Pakistan has a courageous and relatively free press and a strong

(1947)... 1971 Till now

Reason for partition

The people of this region resented the domination of

➔ Since 1947, they began protests against the unfair treatment

Impact Connection with India

The surrender of the Pakistani forces in East Pakistan and

Conflicts and Tensions

● He was assassinated in a military uprising in August 1975.

Since then representative democracy based on multi-party

However, democratic governments had a short and troubled career.

In 2002, the king abolished the parliament

Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah

● In April 2006, there were massive,

Nepali president Ram Baran Yadav

Sinhala V/S Tamils

The neglect of Tamil concerns led to militant Tamil nationalism. LTTE

Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam

From 1983 onwards, the militant organisation, the

The Sri Lankan problem involves people of Indian origin. Explain

Tamil people in India wants that the Indian government

India - Sri Lanka peace accord, 1987 Impact

● The Sri Lankan crisis continued to be violent.

● However, international actors, particularly the

Understand the under current of this statement.

Given the position of India in this region, most of these

The most salient and overwhelming of these conflicts is,

Conflict over the fate of Kashmir.

● The Pakistani government claimed that Kashmir belonged to it.

● The arms race between the two countries assumed a

The government of Pakistan, in turn,

● The two countries are not in agreement over the demarcation

● The dispute seems minor, but there is an underlying worry that

● India and Pakistan are holding negotiations on all these issues.

Indian government’s stand V/S Bangladesh government’s stand

● The * government has been unhappy with

Despite their differences, India and Bangladesh do cooperate on many issues.

● Economic relations have improved considerably in the last 20 years.

● In 2015, they exchanged certain enclaves.

Special about India-Nepal relationship.

● Nevertheless, Indo-Nepal relations are fairly stable and peaceful.

● Despite differences, trade, scientific cooperation, common natural resources, electricity

● The difficulties in the relationship between the

● India’s ties with the Maldives remain warm and