While the Western world is focused on the American presidential elections in November, we are currently at the cusp of a far bigger election going on in the world’s largest democracy: India. What is the geopolitical role of this country strategically situated between two nuclear powers China and Pakistan? What of the stories of religious unrest between Hindus and Muslims? And: how should the West position itself towards one of the most important democracies within the region?
During Understanding Today’s India, dr. Nicolas Blarel dives into current developments within India’s borders and beyond. While the country has experienced rapid economic and demographic growth in the past decade under Narendra Modi, the increasingly nationalistic prime minister has also been accused of fueling religious conflicts between Muslims and Hindus. What is currently happening within the country with today’s largest population? And: What can we expect of this nuclear power in the years to come?
Dr. Nicolas Blarel is Associate Professor of International Relations at the Institute of Political Science at Leiden University where he studies foreign and security policy-making, the politics of power transition in the global order, and the international politics of South Asia. He has been a visiting fellow at various research institutions based in New Delhi.
