GEOPOLITICS

Istanbul Aydin University

Indian Geopolitical code
 what is Geopolitical code
• Geopolitical code is defined as the operating code of a government’s
foreign policy that evaluates places beyond its boundaries.

• It is a set of strategic assumptions that a government makes about other

states in forming its foreign policy.

• Such operational code(s) involves evaluation of places beyond the state’s

boundaries in terms of its strategic importance and
• potential threats.

• It is not just state-centric; it also involves a particular single state’s view of

the world.
 Geopolitical Codes
geopolitical code is the manner in which a country orientates itself to the
world. There are five main calculations that define a country’s geopolitical
code such as India. They are:

A. Who are our current and potential allies?

B. Who are our current and potential enemies?
C. How can we maintain our allies and nurture potential allies?
D. How can we counter our current enemies and emerging threats?
E. How do we justify the four calculations above to our public, and to the
global community?
 does india understood these
questions

• the five questions above, we might ask why a particular state actor might be
considered an enemy or an ally.

• In order to identify our friends or foes, we must first understand our own
global position (geographically, as well as politically and economically),
assets, challenges, aspirations, and historical legacies.
 The Geopolitics of India:
• The geopolitics of India must be considered in the geographical context of the
Indian subcontinent
• a self-contained region that includes India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and,
depending how one defines it, Nepal and Bhutan. We call the subcontinent
"self-contained" because it is a region that is isolated on all sides by difficult
terrain or by ocean. In geopolitical terms it is, in effect, an island.
 Overview
• India is endowed with favorable geographic barriers. Surrounded by oceans
on three sides and the formidable Himalayan Mountains to the north,
• what is now modern India has been free of outside interference for much of
its long history?

• Its large geographic size and population, coupled with weaker peripheral
nations on much of its boundaries, have allowed India to become the
dominant force in South Asia.

• second-largest population, 1.3 billion people are spread out across the
peninsular nation, from the foothills of the Himalayas to the tropical south.

• Primary geographic challenge comes from a lack of strong internal

boundaries.
 cont....
• Modern-day India struggles to rectify the ambitions of a relatively weak national
government that competes with the prerogatives of strong, diverse states

• The northwestern border still poses national security risks, due to ongoing
disputes with Pakistan.

• But rising domestic consumption means India is increasingly dependent on

imported goods from distant suppliers.

• Surrounded by water or impassable mountains, New Delhi now faces the

additional task of developing naval capabilities to secure its critical supply
routes, risking maritime tensions with China in the broader Indo-Pacific
basin.
 India: Geopolitical Profile
• India (officially the Republic of India) is a country in Southern Asia.

• It is bordered to the northwest by Pakistan and Afghanistan; with China,

Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Myanmar to the north east and east.
•
• Sri-Lanka is to the South. It is the seventh-largest country by area, and the
second-most populous country with over 1.3 billion people.

• It is often called the most populous democracy in the world.

• It is a Rimland country. It has a predominantly Continentalist geopolitical

orientation.

• Geopolitical position
 India: Geopolitical Profile
• Position on the geopolitical
map:
• Rimland. Now predominantly
Continentalist geopolitical
orientation.
• Geopolitical balance:
• 70% - Eurasianist, 30%
Atlanticist.
• Main geopolitical allies:
• Russia, Iran, Brazil, South Africa,
China, (despite some disputes and
power contests), Sri-Lanka,
Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh.
• Opponents:
• Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, China ( in
some zones)
• Neutrality:
• The USA, Continental Europe
(changing balance), Africa,
Central Asia, Afghanistan,
Oceania
• Sphere of national interest.:
• Southern Asia and Afghanistan,
Indo-China, Indian Ocean,
Himalayan region (Nepal and
Butan).
• International disputes:
• Contest for leadership with China in Indo-China, Himalayan and
Indian Ocean regions, Contest for leadership with Saudi Arabia
on Maldives
• Manifested interests in Afghanistan, participation in the Afghan
peace settlement

• Ethnical structure:
• Indo-Aryan 72%, Dravidian 25%, Mongoloid and other 3%
• India is a home to hundreds of ethnos and tribes, mostly divided into two main
groups – Indo-Arian and Dravidian.
• Territorial disputes:
• Unresolved conflict with Pakistan. Pakistan occupies the
northern part of the Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir.

• Religious structure:

• Hindu 79.8%, Muslim 14.2%, Christian 2.3%, Sikh 1.7%, other

and unspecified 2%
• International disputes:
• • Contest for leadership with • Territorial disputes:
China in Indo-China, Himalayan
and Indian Ocean regions • Unresolved conflict with Pakistan.
• • Contest for leadership with Pakistan occupies the northern
Saudi Arabia on Maldives part of the Indian states of Jammu
• • Manifested interests in and Kashmir.
Afghanistan, participation in the
Afghan peace settlement
• Religious structure:
• Ethnical structure:
• Indo-Aryan 72%, Dravidian 25%,
Mongoloid and other 3% • Hindu 79.8%, Muslim 14.2%,
• India is a home to hundreds of ethnos Christian 2.3%, Sikh 1.7%, other
and tribes, mostly divided into two and unspecified 2%
main groups – Indo-Arian and
Dravidian.
 Political Ideology
India is called the most populous democracy in the world. Since gaining
independence, the Indian political model has copied the European one. The
secular nationalist Indian National Congress party dominated political life and
ruled the country for decades since independence was declared in 1947.

Things began to change when current Prime-Minister Narendra Modi and his
Bharatiya Janata Party’s came to power in 2014. The Hindutva ideology
became more influential in Indian political life. It does not change the western
post-colonial forms of statehood, but changes the inner dimensions of the
political sphere – ideology.

Unlike the Indian National Congress, the orientation of the Bharatiya Janata
Party is based on a perspective of the historical identity of India. It’s political
ideology is based on the promotion and preservation of traditional Hindu
religious identity (Hindutva).
 cont...
• Hindutva is founded on religion, defense of traditional values and culture,
and rejection of western globalism. It has both ideological and geopolitical
dimensions, which are closely interconnected.

• The first in is defense of Indian uniqueness, is its culture and traditional

religions that are believed to be the basis of identity.

• Western and Muslim influence is claimed to be dangerous for Indians.

Support for social justice coincides with the support of traditional Hindu
values and social structures, including a reformed caste system.
• The geopolitical dimension of Hindutva means the creation of a Great
Space (Grossraum) in South Asia which includes India, Sri-Lanka,
Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and a projection of power towards South Asian
countries, who have been greatly influenced by Indian culture and religious
traditions in the past.
 Geopolitical codes or stereotypes

• A geopolitical code indicates the location of a country in a theory of good

and evil which is used by politicians and public in another country. For
example US president Reagan used the term rogue state for a number of
states that do not comply with the norms of international behavior, i.e.
harboring terrorists, not living up to agreements, etc. Axis of evil, a term
use by George W. Bush, denoted a similar category.

• One of the most emotionally charged categories in the Indian repertory

was non-aligned state. India and China do not apply this type of stereotype
to each other, they are engaged in a continuous exploration of the others
strategic position and strength and they are alarmed by each change in the
international posture of the other. In this respect there is certainly a
question of fear of encirclement which is particularly stirred up by China’s
activities in the Indian Ocean.
 Geoeconomy

• India is a second world country - The state of semi-periphery. It is part of the

BRICS bloc.

• The economy of India is the seventh-largest in the world by nominal GDP and
the third-largest by purchasing power parity (PPP). The IMF classifies the
country as a newly industrialised country.

• It is one of the G-20 major economies, a member of BRICS and a developing

economy with an average growth rate of approximately 7% over the last two
decades.

• Indian economic policy after independence was influenced by the colonial

experience, which was seen by Indian leaders as exploitative, with the leaders
being exposed to British social democracy as well as the planned economy of
the Soviet Union.
 Geoeconomy

• Domestic policy tended to motion towards protectionism, with a strong

emphasis on import substitution, industrialisation, economic
interventionism, a large government-run public sector, business regulation,
and central planning.

• After 1992 there was a tendency of economic liberalisation, with

privatization of state industries and more free market policies.

• India has capitalised its economy based on its large educated English-
speaking population, becoming a major exporter of IT services, BPO
services, and software services. It is also the fastest-growing part of the
economy.
 Geostrategy:
Main security threats:

 Unresolved conflict with Pakistan in Kashmir region.

 Radicalization of the Indian Muslim community and Muslim terrorism.

 Export of Muslim radicalism from Pakistan and Bangladesh

 Other religion based extremism, including Sikh and Hindu

 Regional separatism in Sikh regions (predominantly in Panjab).

 The vulnerable geostrategic positions of the Northeastern part of India,

narrowly connected with mainland India via a corridor, which squeezes between the
independent nations of Bhutan and Bangladesh.
 Values structure:
• India is not only a country, a national state, but also one of the world’s
largest civilizations. India is home to a set of native religious and
philosophical traditions. Part of them is united under the umbrella of
“Hinduism” (the term itself is Westarn construction).

• Other Indian religious traditions are Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism. All
these religious traditions also termed as Dharmic faiths, and are rooted in
the merger between Vedic religion of Ancient India and Dravidian cults.
Indian traditions are oriented more towards contemplative, mystic and
metaphysical dimensions. It is a deep base of Indian identity that has
influenced other religions, transforming them on Indian soil, for example
Muslim Sufi tradition.

• Also, with 138 million Muslims, it is the second largest Muslim country in
the world.
• Another important part on the traditional Indian system of values is the
hierarchy of the castes, basing it on social order. Traditional values are
dominant in villages and small towns. In big cities the set of values is more
liberal and secular.
 Values structure:
 India is called the most populous democracy in the world. Since gaining
independence, the Indian political model has copied the European one. The
secular nationalist Indian National Congress party dominated political life
and ruled the country for decades since independence was declared in
1947.

 Things began to change when current Prime-Minister Narendra Modi and

his Bharatiya Janata Party’s came to power in 2014. The Hindutva ideology
became more influential in Indian political life. It does not change the
western post-colonial forms of statehood, but changes the inner dimensions
of the political sphere – ideology.

 The geopolitical dimension of Hindutva means the creation of a Great

Space (Grossraum) in South Asia which includes India, Sri-Lanka,
Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and a projection of power towards South Asian
countries, who have been greatly influenced by Indian culture and religious
traditions in the past.
The Geopolitics of Modern India
• Modern India has its origins in the collapse of the British Empire. Indeed, it was the
loss of India that ultimately doomed the British Empire. The entire focus of
imperial Britain, from the Suez Canal to Gibraltar and Singapore, was to maintain
the lines of supply to India. Many of the colonies and protectorates around the
world secured by Britain in the 19th century were designed to provide coaling
stations to and from India.

• In short, the architecture of the British Empire was built around India, and once
India was lost, the purpose of that architecture dissolved as well. The historical
importance of India could not be overestimated. Lenin once referred to it as the
supply depot of humanity — which overstated the case perhaps, but did not
overstate India's importance to Britain.

• the British gave up India for several reasons, the most important of which was
commercial: The cost of controlling India had outstripped the value derived. This
happened in two ways. The first was that the cost of maintaining control of the sea-
lanes became prohibitive. After World War II, the Royal Navy was far from a global
navy. That role had been taken over by the United States, which did not have an
interest in supporting British control of India.
 CONCLUSION
• Every country has a geopolitical code. While some countries' geopolitical
codes may be primarily focused on closely neighboring countries along
their borders, others

• may adopt a global geopolitical code and strategy. Nonetheless, regardless

of the scale at which a country develops its geopolitical code, they are all
embedded in a global geopolitical context.
• The main issue with the code is that it isn’t about human security threats at
all, but regional geopolitics
• There are numerous ways in which we work to identify, maintain, and
nurture the geopolitical relationships with our allies and potential allies.
Among these are diplomatic meetings and gestures, economic ties, cross-
cultural and educational exchanges, military operations and exercises, and
other types of aid.
 CONCLUSION
are an economic tool used to put pressure on governments to change certain
policies or actions. For example, in early 2019, many Asia nations imposed
sanctions on both individuals and industries within India in order to push
for peace along the Inda-Pakistan border.Representational geopolitics is a
key part of the geopolitical code.
Hindutva proponents seek to restore India's status as a world power.
Hindutva worldwide is both realistic and culturally based. It supports the
state system based on sovereignty and world powers, sees war as an
immanent part of world order. On the other side Hindutva asserts a more
cultural, neo-Imperial approach, as opposed to a purely national one. It is
not Nationalism in the proper sense, or internationalism, it is the ideology
of Indian civilizational uniqueness and India as an Empire, as an
independent geopolitical pole in a Multipolar World System.
GEOPOLITICS