The Security Structure in South Asia and Its Impacts on Belt and Road Initiative

Abstract

The security structure in South Asia is an Indian-centered asymmetric system and regional organization is less developed while non-state actors and non-traditional security threats widely spread in South Asia. Structures of 1947 and 1962 are two foundational factors in the security structure in South Asia. With growing of actors and changing of rules in international relations, specifically the changing of Indian neighborhood policy, the security structure in South Asia is undergoing transformation slowly. China as an outsider plays the role of off shore balancer in South Asia. The security structure in South Asia both has positive and negative influence on Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Its positive influences for BRI include: conducive for bilateral cooperation, open regionalism and easily to be implemented in Pakistan, Sir Lanka and Bangladesh. Its negative influences for BRI include: Indian’s negative attitude, hardly to be implemented in Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives, and enormous security risks. To facilitate BRI, China should prevent India to upgrade its Monroe Doctrine, improve the regional security institution in South Asia and cooperate with India on development aid in South Asia.