Kukreja, Dhiraj

Abstract
Looking out towards a decade or so ahead, the security opportunities and challenges seem to be plentiful, as is seen today, and at times may even appear as overwhelming; yet what the future holds for the world is beyond predictions even for the best of analysts, commentators, strategists or astrologers. Asia, by itself, is so vast and diverse, and geographically fragmented that it is near impossible to analyse Asia as a whole, for this reason, the restriction of the area of interest. This Paper, hence, is not an astrologer’s attempt to predict the future; rather, it would attempt to analyse some of the occurrences and the indicated trends in the region of India’s attention, namely South and SE Asia. The challenge of crystal ball gazing for 30 years ahead, or even a decade ahead, cannot be overstated. The definition of the region for the purposes of the Paper, highlights the significance of two obvious poles of power: China and India. The examination confirms that the critical path for the whole region is defined by their future development. All the South and SE Asian economies will be affected, to some degree, by the performance of the Chinese and Indian economies and how they interact with India and China. This Paper notes that China and India will likely endure as significant economic, political, cultural, and military actors. An argument may be put forth that in a globalised and intensely networked world, interests are no longer localised; but in an area as large as Asia, the self-imposed restriction is itself a daunting task.
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