Chapter 9
South Asia’s Strategic Edge
Shyam Tekwani and Saumya Sampath
We may be small,
but that does not give you the license to bully us.
— Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, President of the Maldives,
Remarks upon returning from a state visit to China,
Velana Airport, January 2024.
Introduction
South Asia’s smallest states find themselves on unstable ground—caught between regional rivalries, shifting alliances, and global uncertainty. From Himalayan buffers like Bhutan and Nepal to maritime pivots like the Maldives and Sri Lanka, these nations face persistent external pressures with limited resources but considerable strategic leverage. Their geographic positioning and political agility bring both risk and opportunity in a region where power is constantly contested.
The aftershocks of the pandemic, conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, and rising debt burdens have deepened vulnerabilities across the region. Yet even amid coercion and constraint, South Asia’s smaller states are finding room to maneuver. By fostering regional cooperation, engaging selectively with external powers, and asserting themselves in multilateral forums, they are crafting a strategic edge that defies their size.
This chapter contends that South Asia’s lesser powers are not merely caught between giants—they are actively shaping outcomes. In the face of intensifying great-power rivalry, economic fragility, and internal volatility, these states are asserting agency: leveraging geography, cultivating multilateral partnerships, and pursuing strategic autonomy to safeguard sovereignty and advance national interests.
