THE SECURITY OF SOUTH ASIA IN THE 1990S : INTERNATIONAL CHANGE AND DOMESTIC DIMENSION

This article examines the security landscape of South Asia in the 1990s, a decade defined by profound international and domestic changes. It analyzes how the end of the Cold War (international change) and the internal political and social dynamics of the regional states (domestic dimension) reshaped security perceptions and challenges. The study explores the persistence of inter-state rivalries, particularly between India and Pakistan, and the new complexities of managing these conflicts without the framework of superpower patronage. The research also delves into the growing prominence of internal security threats, such as ethno-nationalist insurgencies, religious extremism, and political instability, and their potential to spill across borders. The paper argues that the security agenda in South Asia was becoming increasingly complex, with a blurring of lines between internal and external threats. The analysis concludes by assessing the challenges and opportunities for building a more stable regional security order in this new era.

The 1990s ushered in a period of unprecedented change for South Asia, demanding a fundamental rethinking of its security dynamics. This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the region's security challenges, structured around the interplay of international and domestic dimensions. The first part of the study focuses on the impact of international change. It examines how the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the bipolar world order altered the strategic calculus of the region's major actors. The paper analyzes the implications for the long-standing Indo-Soviet and Pak-US alignments and discusses the new dynamics of great power engagement in the subcontinent. The second, and more critical, part of the paper explores the domestic dimension of security. It argues that with the waning of external rivalries, internal sources of conflict were becoming more salient. The study provides an in-depth analysis of the rise of ethno-nationalist movements, the growth of religious fundamentalism, and the challenges of democratic consolidation across the region. It highlights how these internal problems often had transnational implications, exacerbating inter-state tensions. The findings suggest that the security of South Asia in the 1990s could no longer be viewed solely through a traditional military-strategic lens but required a more comprehensive framework that incorporated the complex linkages between state stability, societal cohesion, and regional peace.