Although the Indian subcontinent is known for its distinct regional identity, its culture has been intertwined with India’s historical and cultural roots since ancient times. In modern times, the ‘South Asia’ region preserves the legacy of Indian tradition and civilization while maintaining unity through diversity.
Cultural identity, especially in Southeast Asian countries, is often associated with Indian traditions and culture. For example, in Indonesia, people use the term ‘Tathastu’ when greeting each other, and many names for boys and girls are similar to Indian names, such as Bhaskara, Yudhishthira, Shankar, and Hanuman. Despite being a constitutionally Islamic state, Indonesia has been linked to the Buddhist and Hindu traditions of India for hundreds of years. The same is true for the countries bordering India in the subcontinent, including Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Maldives, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
August 15, 1947, is an important day not only for India but also for other nations of the Global South, as India’s freedom struggle was central to the independence movements across the region. The influence of the Indian political system is evident in the political cultures of these countries. Some of them have embraced democratic values, written constitutions, and pantheism.
Over time, nations began fighting for democratic principles such as freedom, equality, and fraternity, and after gaining independence, they initially adopted democracy. However, many could not sustain this system, which is unfortunate. Compared to India, democracy has not taken root in several nations. Rulers in many of these countries have abandoned democratic values and principles in their quest to retain power. Consequently, the process of nation-building in these countries has faced setbacks.
India’s policy towards sovereign and independent countries is also appreciated by Global South partners. Although newly independent nations from the Indian subcontinent since 1947 have cited Indian political culture as an inspiration and guide, its influence is not always evident in these countries.
Instability in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, the Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, and Sri Lanka has been detrimental to economic development and social integration. In these countries, elections have rarely been used to effect a change of power.
In Bangladesh, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib-ur Rehman, who founded independent Bangladesh, was assassinated. However, India sheltered ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, reflecting its political culture of support for neighbors in distress. Since the 1950s, India has maintained a tradition of assisting neighboring countries in difficult situations, including the Dalai Lama and political leaders from Iran, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Political uprisings in the Maldives have been addressed by India several times.
For instance, India intervened to save then-President Abdul Gayoom in 1988 and recently protected former President Mohammad Nasheed from insurgents. The 1987 India-Sri Lanka agreement helped Sri Lanka combat Tamil terrorists. In 1996 and 2006, India was ready to assist Nepal against Maoists. In 2006, when ULFA killed Bhutanese businessmen traveling across the border in Bhutan, India, alongside the Bhutanese army, destroyed the bases of these outfits.
Political assassinations have occurred throughout the Indian subcontinent. The assassinations of Pakistan’s then-President Zia-ul-Haq and former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, as well as the plight of Nawaz Sharif and Pervez Musharraf, highlight the political turmoil in Pakistan. Similar attempts to abolish the monarchy occurred in Nepal, and killings have also taken place in Sri Lanka.
Bhutanese Prime Minister Jigme Paldan Dorji was assassinated in 1964. Political assassinations in India, including those of Mahatma Gandhi, Smt. Indira Gandhi, and Rajiv Gandhi, are notorious, but they do not reflect India’s political culture.
The pattern of frequent constitutional changes in South Asian countries, often driven by coups, has eroded their political stability. Countries like Nepal have altered their constitutions multiple times. In contrast, the Indian Constitution remains robust, supported by an aware citizenry. This stability is not viewed with envy but rather with admiration by many countries in the Global South.
Recently, there have been concerns about undesirable changes in the region’s political culture. The symbols and monuments of the freedom struggle and the incidents that shock the values are taking place. If this is to be recovered, all the Global South countries must pay attention to implementing democracy.
