Security in South Asia: India’s role and its importance in solving the Afghanistan-Pakistan-crisis

The attacks in Mumbai reminded the world of the still tense relationship between Pakist an and India. The efforts of rational decision-makers on both sides and intensive diplomatic mediation have kept the conflict between the two hostile neighbors from escalating. The political state of emergency has become routine in Pakistan. At the same time, the strategic significance of the country, with its long and largely unpatrolled border regions with Afghanistan, is seen as increasingly important for stabilizing the entire region. The new US administration considers any success of the international operations in Afghanistan to be dependent on developments in the neighboring country of Pakistan.

This raises the question of the role that India can and wants to assume in this conflict as the undisputed superpower in southern Asia. What possibilities and limitations does India have in solving the conflicts in Afghanistan and Pakistan? What role does the international community want India to play?

Elections for the lower house of parliament will take place in India from April 16 to May 13. The democratic character of India is the political backbone for the country's stability and development. Will the Kashmir conflict with Pakistan still play a role in the elections? To what extent have the attacks in Mumbai reignited the tense ties to its neighbor, Pakistan? India's role in the world is more important to the international community than Indian domestic politics. What are the different positions in the election campaign about the role of India in the world and, in particular, the region of southern Asian?

The hbs uses this situation as the starting point for a public discussion with Indian guests, German politicians and experts.  

Michael Daxner, Professor für Sozialwissenschaften,
Universität Oldenburg
Siddharth Varadarajan, Journalist
Praful Bidwai, Freelance journalist and regular columnist for several leading newspapers in India

Moderated by:
Sven Hansen, foreign correspondent, taz