The end of the Cold War created new scenarios in the international world where economics and defense are concerned. In Third Worlds countries, many remain unsettled and full of uncertainties as a result. India is such an example. Struggling to modernize its economy while at the same time building its nuclear arsenal capabilities, India is torn between these two political burdens as it struggles to remain independent. The changes brought about by the end of the Cold War have left many Third World countries scrambling to bolster their economy while at the same time fighting for their share of world power. The decline in nuclear weapons build up and the globalization of the world’s markets have been the most significant factors creating this scenario. The same is true for India, “Recent international events show the unimpeded power and authority centered around one superpower but also the emergence of multiple economic power poles competing for their share of leadership. Clearly, de-nuclearization on the one hand, and globalization on the other, emerged as the most important and challenging features of the post-Cold War agenda, requiring both a certain identity of views and an element of conformity. This process is marked by the removal of the West-East cleavage in favor of a more open North-South dialogue. The new international dispensation has also provided developing countries with new horizons for regional, political and economic cooperation, as well as a more substantial role to play internationally” (India’s Foreign 1). India remains a leader in the Non Aligned Movement and faces major challenges from an economic and defense perspective. This analysis will focus on these two challenges in the post-Cold War world.
There are many questions facing India in the post-Cold War era from an economic and defense perspective. Of course, both are intrinsically linked with the government and politics of India. India has...