South Asia is an area of tension and conflict due to the current situation in Afghanistan, the hostility between India and Pakistan, the tensions between Bhutan and Nepal and the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka, which has ramifications for India. Moreover, with India and Pakistan becoming de facto nuclear weapons states, tensions have mounted and the focus has shifted to the importance of strategic environment in the South Asian region. The asymmetry between India and its South Asian neighbours, in terms of demography, natural resources, levels of economic development, technological capacities and military strength has affected India’s relations with most of its neighbours. The nuclear weaponisation of India and Pakistan has also profoundly affected the security environment in the region. An analysis of the relations between India and her neighbours, both in the bilateral framework and in terms of collective regional interaction, is therefore pertinent and timely. External Affairs, authored by well-known diplomats posted in the neighbouring countries analyses India’s cross-border relations.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR J.N. Dixit
J.N. Dixit, former Foreign Secretary of India, is one of the most distinguished members of the Indian Foreign Service. Born in 1936 and educated at Delhi, he joined the diplomatic service in 1958. He served in different capacities at home and in Indian embassies in different countries for 36 years before retiring as Foreign Secretary of India in 1994. Dixit is somewhat unique amongst his colleagues as, after retirement, he emerged as one of the most thoughtful and analytical political columnists in India, writing in major leading Indian and foreign newspapers. He authored six books in six years after his retirement in 1994, dealing with his assignments in Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Sri Lanka where he served as Ambassador. This is his 7th book which is a collection of the more important articles on foreign affairs and international relations, in addition to commentaries and essays on contemporary developments, the world over, over the last 5/6 years. This volume forms relevant reference material for scholars and academics in general and for those, interested in Indian foreign policy, in particular.
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