This 4-week online course (12 sessions, 3 per week) explores India’s foreign policy, focusing on India-Pakistan relations (military, terrorism, Balochistan, AI/cyberwarfare) and ties with neighboring countries (Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Nepal, Bhutan, Afghanistan, Myanmar).

It combines lectures, discussions, and readings to analyze historical, strategic, and contemporary issues.

Course Overview

• Duration: 4 weeks, 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM, Online Via Zoom, Classes on Monday, Wednesday and Friday
• Objective: Understand India’s foreign policy, focusing on India-Pakistan relations and ties with neighboring countries.
• Course Fee: Rs 5000
• Register at https://forms.gle/FKwHbBq1M93jgGc2A
• Register by May 20, 2025

Weekly Schedule

Week 1: India-Pakistan Relations – Historical and Strategic Foundations

• Session 1: Introduction and Historical Context
  • Topics: Non-alignment, Partition, key wars (1947, 1965, 1971, 1999).
  • Readings: Khilnani (2016), Riedel (2015), NCERT (2024).
• Session 2: Military Dynamics
  • Topics: Army, navy, air force comparisons; nuclear deterrence.
  • Readings: Belfer Center (2007), CSIS (2019), Tellis (2022).
• Session 3: Terrorism and Domestic Politics
  • Topics: Mumbai attacks, Pakistan’s military dominance, Kashmir, Pahalgam terror attack, Operation Sindoor.
  • Readings: Hudson Institute (2014), Jaishankar (2024), Ganguly (2016).

Week 2: India-Pakistan Relations – Contemporary Issues

• Session 4: Bilateral Negotiations
  • Topics: Indus Waters Treaty, Tashkent, Shimla, recent diplomacy.
  • Readings: Riedel (2015), NCERT (2024), Pande (2011).
• Session 5: Balochistan
  • Topics: Insurgency, Jadhav case, Gwadar, CPEC.
  • Readings: Patrick & Prasad (2023).
• Session 6: AI and Cyberwarfare
  • Topics: Cyber capabilities, U.S./China partnerships.
  • Readings: The Geopolitics (2024), Kello (2017), Raza (2023).

Week 3: India’s Relations with Other Neighboring Countries

• Session 7: India-Bangladesh
  • Topics: 1971 war, Teesta dispute, recent instability.
  • Readings: Drishti IAS (2024), NCERT (2024), Basrur & Kutty (2018).
• Session 8: India-Sri Lanka and Maldives
  • Topics: Hambantota, “India First” policy, maritime security.
  • Readings: Trends Research (2024), Morada (2020), DeSilva-Ranasinghe (2019).
• Session 9: India-Nepal and Bhutan
  • Topics: Open borders, hydropower, sovereignty concerns.
  • Readings: Malone (2011), Kumar (2022).

Week 4: India’s Regional Strategy and Emerging Challenges

• Session 10: India-Afghanistan and Myanmar
  • Topics: Taliban, Kaladan project, China’s influence.
  • Readings: CSIS (2024), Pant (2023), Yhome (2021).
• Session 11: Act East and SAGAR
  • Topics: ASEAN, BRI counter-strategy, maritime initiatives.
  • Readings: Trends Research (2024), Rajagopalan (2022).
• Session 12: Wrap-Up
  • Topics: Synthesis, climate change, global south leadership.
  • Readings: Jaishankar (2020)

Delivery and Assessment

• Platform: Zoom
• Session Structure: 45 min lecture, 30 min discussion, 15–30 min Q&A.
• Assignments: After the course completion, the scholar would submit a Research analysis that would be published on our website.
• Expert Lectures would be arranged, according to the speaker’s choice. Time and date would be notified to the scholars one day before.

Who is this Course Meant for?

• Students (political science, IR, South Asian studies).
• Researchers, diplomats, journalists, or professionals in geopolitics/security.
• Enthusiasts interested in India’s global role or South Asian dynamics.

Objective

Equip participants with a nuanced understanding of India’s foreign policy challenges and strategies in South Asia, with practical insights for policy analysis, especially in the current case of misinformation and fog of war.

About the Educator

Dr. Shubhda Chaudhary is the Founder of Middle East Insights Platform – India’s dynamic, volunteer-driven online initiative that brings together scholars and practitioners from across South Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.

She holds a Ph.D. and M.Phil. in West Asian Politics from Jawaharlal Nehru University (India) and an M.A. in International Journalism from the University of Westminster (UK). Her academic and professional journey spans multiple countries, including Egypt, Oman, the West Bank, Saudi Arabia, the United States, the United Kingdom, South Africa, and Jordan—giving her unique insight into the lived realities and geopolitical complexities of the region.

Dr. Chaudhary has delivered guest lectures at prestigious institutions such as the University of Cambridge (UK), University of Connecticut, and the University of West Florida. She has also served as a trainee in Johannesburg and represented India at the Study of U.S. Institutes in Seattle and Washington, D.C.

Her research and scholarly work have been widely published, with contributions to books and journals by leading academic publishers such as Routledge, I.B. Tauris, the American University in Cairo, and SAGE. A regular media commentator, she appears on prominent platforms including BBC Hindi, NDTV, Republic, and Times Now, offering incisive foreign policy analysis.