The Soviet Union and South Asia

Summary

The Soviet Union has expanded its presence in South Asia since its first approaches to India in the 1950s. However, its influence in the region peaked in 1966–71, when it was a supplier of weapons to both India and Pakistan and entered into a Treaty of Peace and Friendship with India. Except for a continuing arms supply relationship with New Delhi, Moscow has seen its influence decline in the region (except in Afghanistan, where it remains embattled). Indeed, the invasion of Afghanistan has stimulated a regional reaction against the Soviet Union.

It is likely that Soviet economic, ideological, and political influence will continue to decline in South Asia, even in India. New Delhi is especially wary of new Soviet approaches to Beijing, which had been its common interest with Moscow.

This rapidly evolving region now includes two nuclear states and two near-nuclears. The United States is again a regional factor through its assistance relationship with Pakistan and a revived tie with India. However, US policy has yet to grapple fully with the emergence of the regional ‘pentagon of power’, to fine-tune its policies to South Asian complexities, and to address the growing problem of regional nuclear proliferation.