India’s strategic imperative in the Caucasus

This paper is authored by Kajari Kamal, Varun Potturu, ORF.

The terror attack in Pahalgam in April this year, followed by a military standoff with Pakistan, have highlighted a nascent anti-India nexus involving Islamabad, Ankara, and Baku. This emerging geopolitical alignment necessitates a re-evaluation of India's strategic imperatives through the lens of Kautilya's seminal work on statecraft, Arthashastra. This brief argues that India's commitment to security and prosperity (Yogakshema) demands recognising the intertwined mandalas (circles of states) encompassing both the Caucasus and the Indian subcontinent. It posits that Kautilyan statecraft strategically advises New Delhi to cultivate comprehensive ties with Yerevan, given their shared adversarial challenges. It interlinks the geopolitical realities of these two theatres, examining India's evolving posture from traditional neutrality to interest-based engagement, and offers foreign policy recommendations for both India and Armenia to advance their respective national interests.

International Relations

The terror attack in Pahalgam in April not only reaffirmed Pakistan as India's innate adversary but also highlighted the strategic depth of the Pakistan-Türkiye partnership—seen in the use of Turkish weapons systems by Pakistan and statements of solidarity from Türkiye. The crisis revealed a nascent anti-India nexus involving Islamabad, Ankara, and Baku. India's commitment to continuous reprisal against Pakistan-sponsored terrorism and ensuring its citizens' security and prosperity (Yogakshema) necessitates acknowledging the intertwined mandalas (circles of states) of the Caucasus and the Indian subcontinent. From a Kautilyan perspective, it is strategically imperative for India to cultivate comprehensive ties with Armenia, given their common adversaries.

This paper can be accessed here.

This paper is authored by Kajari Kamal, Varun Potturu, ORF.