Major Power Rivalry and Domestic Politics in South Asia

Paul Staniland

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The South Asia Program informs policy debates relating to the region’s security, economy, and political development. From strategic competition in the Indo-Pacific to India’s internal dynamics and U.S. engagement with the region, the program offers in-depth, rigorous research and analysis on South Asia’s most critical challenges.Learn More

Major power competition has returned to Asia. Controlling Chinese access to advanced technology and managing deterrence over Taiwan pose pressing technical and military problems for American policymakers.

1 However, the most complicated political challenge facing policymakers is crafting effective strategy toward the many states in the region that are not fully aligned with China, the United States, or India.

2 Managing relationships with such third-party states was a crucial issue in Cold War Asia.

3 And in Asia today, major powers are trying to influence these swing states to prevent them from tilting toward geopolitical rivals.

4These third-party countries may be smaller than the behemoths seeking to influence them, but they are nevertheless often still quite large, have growing economies, and occupy strategic locations in Asia.

5 Major power rivalries interact with complicated domestic politics within these swing states.6 Their internal political divisions often do not straightforwardly line up with the interests and goals of external powers, and the priorities of local leaders can be far more focused on domestic rather than geopolitical competition.