The region:

• South Asia is a subregion of Asia consisting of the Indo-Gangetic Plain and peninsular India. 
• Countries: It includes the countries of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Pakistan, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. Afghanistan and the Maldives are often considered part of South Asia as well. 
• Boundaries: The region is bounded to the north by a series of mountain ranges: the Hindu Kush to the northwest, the Karakoram Range in the central north, and the Himalayas to the northeast. 
  • To the South, Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal form the boundaries.
• The region has been influenced by the hostile relations between India and Pakistan  and has become one of the least integrated regions of the World.
• South Asia is very important from geopolitical considerations in the Indo-Pacific, due to important sea lines of communication (SLOC), maritime potentials and being home to around two billion people with the most dynamic and fast-growing economies.
• India is the largest country in South Asia in most parameters and assumes a significant position in South Asia as it shares land or maritime borders with all the countries in the South Asian region, and therefore, assumes a pivotal link in the region.
• In recent years, India’s traditional position has come under Chinese challenge. 

Challenges posed by China in South Asia:

• Geopolitical Competition: China’s rise as a global power in the neighbourhood gives a new situation as India is facing stiff geopolitical competition for influence in South Asia. 
• Power Vacuum: The withdrawal of the United States from the region has allowed China to fill the resulting power vacuum, further strengthening its position and influence.
• Neighbouring Countries’ Strategies: South Asia’s smaller powers, including India’s neighbours, are adopting various strategies such as balancing, bargaining, hedging, and bandwagoning to navigate the changing dynamics, often viewing China as a useful hedge against India.
  • All of India’s neighbours except Bhutan are part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative(BRI), which is an ambitious connectivity and infrastructure project.
• Strategic Engagement in the Indo-Pacific: India’s focus on the Indo-Pacific and alignment with countries like the United States, Japan, and Australia may have diverted attention and resources away from its immediate neighbourhood, allowing China to expand its influence unchecked.

Ways to tackle Chinese challenge in the region:

• Acknowledge Changing Realities: India must acknowledge the fundamental changes in the region’s geopolitics and its own diminished influence.
• Leverage Traditional Strengths: Rather than directly competing with China in every aspect, India should focus on leveraging its traditional strengths and cultural ties, such as reclaiming its Buddhist heritage.
• Focus on Maritime Advantages: Given the challenges in its continental strategy, India should prioritise its maritime advantages in the Indo-Pacific. This involves enhancing trade, forming minilateralism, and creating issue-based coalitions.
• Engage Smaller South Asian Neighbours: India should actively engage with its smaller South Asian neighbours, including Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and Bangladesh, within the framework of the Indo-Pacific strategy. This could involve including them in strategic conversations and offering them alternatives to China-led initiatives.
• Embrace Non-India Centric Lens: India should adopt a more open approach to the region, accepting the presence of external powers and seeking partnerships with friendly actors to address common challenges.
• Utilise Soft Power: India should make creative use of its soft power to retain influence in the region. This includes encouraging informal contacts between political and civil society actors across South Asian countries and facilitating informal conflict management processes where direct involvement might be challenging.