India’s World, Volume 2, Issue 5, May 2026
The Great Game in the East

India’s World returns with an issue dedicated to the shifting geopolitics of India’s eastern frontier. From Nepal and Bangladesh to Myanmar and the Bay of Bengal, India’s East is witnessing political upheaval, ethnic tensions, competing connectivity projects, and China’s expanding strategic presence. Together, these developments are reshaping one of the most consequential theatres in India’s neighbourhood.

In his note “From the Editor,” Happymon Jacob argues that India’s eastern flank remains an unsettled and deeply contested space where geography, politics, infrastructure, and great-power rivalry increasingly intersect. The opening section, “The Argument,” features Sreeradha Datta examining why India’s East continues to remain restive despite decades of Neighbourhood First and Act East policies, highlighting the interplay of identity politics, governance failures, youth unrest, and cross-border instability.

The cover story section brings together leading voices on the region’s transformation. Shashank Ranjan analyses Buddhist ethno-nationalism in Myanmar, while Sujeev Shakya argues that India has yet to fully understand a changing Nepal. Essays by Uttam Kumar Sinha, Dinakar Peri and others explore water security, connectivity, and China’s growing influence across India’s East.

Beyond geopolitics, essays on hilsa diplomacy, the Stilwell Road, tea in Assam, and the Tawang Monastery reveal the East as both a strategic frontier and a cultural crossroads. For India, the challenge is no longer merely securing borders, but adapting to a rapidly changing eastern neighbourhood.