About the Book

Perceptions play a very significant role in South Asian politics. They have largely shaped and influenced state policies and politics among the South Asian countries, especially in relation to India, over the years. State policies have at times been hostage to negative or adversarial perceptions, well-entrenched in the popular psyche. The perception formation in South Asia is an extremely dynamic process and has evolved differently in different countries. Perceptions are not static and often change with the shift in domestic as well as regional and global politics. There are myriad stakeholders—with diverse sectional interests—explicitly or implicitly shaping and influencing perceptions among countries in South Asia.

This book comprising sixteen chapters, contributed by scholars from all the South Asian countries, seeks to identify and examine the various strands of (mis)perception prevalent particularly vis-à-vis India; and its various causal factors ranging from conflicting historical memories to contesting national identities, and growing intellectual disconnect to diverging geo-strategic imperatives. The role of the media and the growing Chinese thrust in the region has also been discussed.

The way forward illustrated in the form of key recommendations has both academic and policy relevance.

About the Editor

Vishal Chandra is Associate Fellow at the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA), New Delhi. He joined IDSA in 2003. His core area of research is politics of Afghan conflict and war. He has travelled widely in Afghanistan and has participated in various Track-II level initiatives.

With more than a decade of research experience, he has two edited volumes on South Asia and over 40 publications on Afghanistan, including book chapters and several articles and commentaries, to his credit. He had earlier edited the book, India’s Neighbourhood: The Armies of South Asia (Pentagon Press, New Delhi, 2013).

His book, The Unfinished War in Afghanistan: 2001-2014 (Pentagon Press, New Delhi, 2015) was recently released.

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Contents

Foreword
Acknowledgements
Abbreviations
About the Contributors
List of Maps, Tables and Figures
Welcome Remarks by Dr. Arvind Gupta, Director General, IDSA
Inaugural Address by Hon’ble Defence Minister, Shri A.K. Antony

Introduction - Vishal Chandra

PART I: SHAPING OF PERCEPTIONS IN SOUTH ASIA

1. Does Academia Matter to the Shaping of Mutual Perceptions in South Asia? - Pratyoush Onta
2. ‘Not India’: Pakistan, India and the Self - Yaqoob Khan Bangash
3. Changing Relations between Bangladesh and India: Perceptions in Bangladesh - M. Humayun Kabir
4. The Geo-Strategic Matrix and Existential Dimension of Sri Lanka’s Conflict, Post-War Crisis and External Relations - Dayan Jayatilleka

PART II

MUTUAL PERCEPTIONS AND EXPECTATIONS

5. Perceptions and Memories: Making Sense of Bangladesh’s India Outlook - Partha S. Ghosh
6. Changing Dynamics in Nepal-India Relations - Dinesh Bhattarai
7. Rising India and Bangladesh-India Relations: Mutual Perceptions and Expectations - M. Ashique Rahman
8. Indo-Afghan Relationship: Afghan Expectations and Indian Reluctance - Davood Moradian
9. Shift in Maldivian Perception Towards India During the 2012 Political Crisis - Mohamed Naahee Naseem
10. Myanmar’s Perception of India - Denzil Abel
11. Bhutan and Its International Collaborations-2013 141 - Pema Tenzin and Chhimi Dorji

PART III

PERCEPTIONS ON REGIONAL COOPERATION

12. South Asian Economic Integration: Potential, Challenges and the Way Forward - Nagesh Kumar
13. Stepped-Up Inter-State Dialogue as a Key to Improving SAARC Development Prospects - Gabriel Ian Lynn Ockersz
14. China and South Asian Cooperation Under SAARC - S.D. Muni
15. India’s Trade with Neighbours: Perceptions and Reality—With Special Reference to India-Pakistan Trade - Indra Nath Mukherji
16. Seizing New Opportunity for Regional Cooperation and Understanding - Shahmahmood Miakhel

The Way Forward: Key Recommendations

Index

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Review of the Book

• The Kathmandu Post, June 24, 2017