The Fragile State Index has highlighted South Asia as a politically unstable region with the maximum number of failed states and acute political instability. Nations like Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and now Bangladesh find themselves on the political and economic brink, with each state reflecting the conditions of civil war in the region. Despite their geographical proximity and shared colonial history, South Asian countries face a unique and complex crisis that demands urgent and introspective solutions.
As India strives to assert itself as a formidable regional player, understanding and addressing the root causes of this democratic turmoil is crucial, given the fact that the possibility of foreign intervention or installation of an unfriendly regime can challenge the security of India. The democratic failure of South Asian states can be traced back to several issues. Primarily, the inability to establish robust political and bureaucratic institutions capable of managing the region’s diverse ethnic and religious issues has been a significant setback.
Unlike the Western models imposed during colonial rule, these countries have struggled to create frameworks that accommodate their complex social fabrics. For instance, Sri Lanka’s early attempt at ‘governance by elite’ aimed to balance power between the Singhalese and Tamilians. The system worked till 1948, but it ultimately failed, leading to prolonged civil conflict. Similarly, Bangladesh’s frequent shift between military rule and democratic governance has highlighted the fragility of its political institutions. The recent protests hint that the masses favour establishment of Islamist rule. Francis Fukuyama’s The Origins of Political Order and Machiavelli’s observations on governance echo the same challenges which can be applied to the conditions of South Asia.
The region’s diverse castes, linguistic groups, and religious communities complicate the establishment of a unified political structure. Historical and ongoing ethnic and religious conflicts further impede the creation of cohesive national identities and governance frameworks. Secondly, the South Asian region failed to bring substantive democracy to work. The region’s emphasis has been on procedural democracy, which means creating processes rather than ensuring meaningful democratic participation and equality. While democratic ideals are enshrined in constitutions, their implementation is often superficial.
Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Pakistan’s flirtation with Islamic ideologies contrasts sharply with India’s drift towards ‘Hindutva,’ despite its secular constitution. These ideological divergences exacerbate regional inequalities and conflict, revealing a profound disconnect between democratic principles and their practice. A third critical issue is the lack of a functional regional structure to address these crises.
The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) has consistently failed to mitigate inter-state conflicts or promote regional integration. Instead, South Asian states remain entrenched in bilateral disputes, particularly the historical and territorial disputes of India and Pakistan, which undermine collective regional progress. Professor Happymoon Jacob in his article “The End of South Asia” aptly highlights this disconnect, noting that South Asians seldom identify with a coherent regional identity, viewing the term ‘South Asia’ more as a geographical label than as a unified entity.
To address these pressing issues, South Asian nations must take the lead in fostering regional stability and cooperation. Relying on foreign intervention or external solutions will only lead to further complications. Instead, a joint effort by South Asian countries to build resilient democratic institutions, embrace substantive democracy, and enhance regional integration is imperative.
The region does reflect a potential as mentioned by the World Bank – that South Asia represents the region having the largest potential of growth for the last 20 years. However, this potential can only be realized through sustained peace and cooperative governance.As South Asia stands at a critical juncture, the path forward must be charted by the region’s own actors. The time has come for South Asian nations to confront their democratic challenges embracing both the opportunities and responsibilities of regional leadership.
(The writer is Assistant Professor, Department of Defence and Strategic Studies, Sri Balaji University, Pune.)