Sino-Indian Dynamics in South Asia: A Systemic Security Environment Approach

Abstract

The complex strategic scenario as a resultant of the Sino-Indian dynamics in South Asia require a comprehensive outlook that encompasses various theoretical underpinnings of the broader security school in International Relations. This article bases the conceptualization of such a reality upon Tang’s formulation. He outlines four major aspects to describe an approach to ‘security complex’ or regional security architecture. These are geographical barriers, state-to-state interaction, international structure and military technology. This article examines all four aspects in a comparative analytical format. Considering the flaring up of regional tensions as a resultant of the intermingling of factors outside the realm of traditional security conceptualization, a limitation of the framework espoused by Tang is observed. The article concludes that the limitations of Tang’s formulation, that is the exclusion of non-traditional security issues, often create similar systemic pressure on the regional security system as the traditional factors mentioned by Tang and require inclusion in the systemic security environment approach.