Hegemonic Designs of India against its Neighbouring Countries

If we look on the map of South Asia, the India is at it’s core. Is there any country around its rim that has not had a military conflict with India? The answer is India has always liked to dominate the region. The root of the problem is that India has never liked the fact that Britain divided South Asian Empire in 1940’s.

The roots of regional conflict are buried in history. As Independence from Britain approached, the Muslims minority in colony agitated for a state independent of Hindu majority. The ultimate result was partition of sub-continent and two hostile states India and Pakistan came in to existence, in 1947.

Kashmir a Hindu ruled but predominantly Muslims province bordering, India and Pakistan and China was the location of the first of a string of crises in India-Pakistan relation. The Hindu ruler was slow to make up mind whether to join India or Pakistan. The population wanted to join Pakistan but ruler decided against it and invited India to occupy the area. A war between local Muslims and India forces took place and after a brief war Pakistan liberated a smallest area to the north west while India took the rest since then India is not satisfied with and it has hegemonic designs against Kashmir people as well as Pakistan India has fought two wars against Pakistan after first brief clash. 

In 1971 Bangali dissatisfaction in East Pakistan crupted in to violence against military rulers of Pakistan. The military regime of Yaya Khan tried to repress Bangali demands for greater self government and thousands field across the border to their brethren in India. India took the advantage of the opportunity to dismember Pakistan by launching a twelve day war in December 1971 against Pakistani forces in east Pakistan. The independent state of Bangladesh was created. Yet Bangladesh did not turn out to be a passive Indian puppet. A military coup in 1975 brought to power a more independent regime. 

There was conflict between India and Bangladesh over the waters of the Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers, the possession newly formed islands in the bay of Bangal, border demarcation east of chittagong and refugees who fled in to the India province of Assam from Bangladesh. These issues are still cause of tension between Bangladesh and India.

With declining Super power activity in the Indian ocean, Indian is more free to flex it’s muscles the region it has given refuge to maoist revolutionaries who are fighting against Nepal. Through these revolutionaries it is trying to impose dictation on Nepal. In Sri Lanka Tamil tigers are also production of India and Tigers have created hurdles in smooth running of the Government in Sri Lanka. 1990’s invasion of Sri Lanka and even the Maldives took place. Indian’s Naval operations approaching the reaches of South East Asia, there seems to be little to stop Indian from increasing its hegemonic designs against it’s weak and small neighbours.