Archive · 25 Jul 2025
Making Friends: India's Ties with South Asia Need Revamp
Imagine India and Pakistan are like neighbors who sometimes argue.
This article talks about how important it is for the people of these countries to be friendly with each other, like sharing music or helping each other out.
The author worries that the Indian government is making things worse by focusing too much on politics and not enough on being friends.
He thinks this is a mistake because it isolates India and stops people from getting along.
The goal is for people to understand each other better and build bridges, rather than walls.
The author discusses the importance of people-to-people ties between India and its South Asian neighbors.
He references a poem by Pakistani poet Fahmida Riaz, reflecting on similarities between India and Pakistan.
The article highlights the cultural exchanges that occurred even amidst political tensions between India and Pakistan.
It discusses the controversy around Indian films featuring cross-border casts.
The author argues for prioritizing friendly relations with South Asian citizens to counter potential isolation.
- Who
- Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay, the author, and the general public.
- What
- The author discusses the importance of maintaining and fostering people-to-people ties between India and its South Asian neighbors.
- When
- The article reflects on historical and current relationships, referencing events from 1996 to the present.
- Where
- The focus is on India, Pakistan, and South Asia.
- Why
- The author argues that cultivating friendly relations is crucial for countering India's isolation and promoting peace.
Government's Approach
Author's View
Focus
Government's Approach
Prioritizes electoral gains
Author's View
Focus on building friendly ties with South Asian citizens.
- Author
- Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay
- Book Referenced
- The Demolition, The Verdict and The Temple: The Definitive Book on the Ram Mandir Project
- Poet Mentioned
- Fahmida Riaz
- Film controversy
- Films featuring cross-border casts, stalled in India
- Focus
- Importance of people-to-people ties in South Asia