Impact of united India on the cold war

Perhaps the biggest issue with this is the terrible inaccuracy of Indian borders before state borders were reformed. Ethnic groups were divided byborder lines, even when those lines made no sense. You can still see some of that today, where Jammu and Kashmir includes the Himachali people of Jammu, the Tibetan people of Ladakh, and the, well, Kashmiri people of Kashmir for no real reason than colonial borders that the Indian government hasn’t reformed yet for some reason. The result is the rise of Kashmiri terrorism, as well as constant instability as the ultra-loyalist people of Jammu attempt to make their voice heard. Just a few years ago, Jammu representatives refused to fly the flag of Jammu and Kashmir, as they saw it as the flag of Kashmir and not Jammu. Your idea would result in many similar situations. Subdivisions need to be rational before India can decentralize.
Keep in mind, this was partially because India would invade areas with a Hindu majority population if they asked, or Hindu leaders, even if Hinduism was a minority. India was somewhat imperialist how they acted, if we look at the Portuguese cities. They had been built by the Portuguese, been theirs for centuries, and then India invades. And prevents people from visiting all the jailed soldiers and administrators, as New Delhi didn't realize how many people would give the Portuguese gifts or support. Anyways, it was a difficult couple for decades for India, and they have fixed things up. I do wonder how religious politics in India will be. I presume the are of modern Bangladesh would prefer to keep to their own versions of inheritance and private laws. Ahhh, and India will, going by the current populations of the countries making up this union, have over five hundred million Muslims, more than twice that of Indonesia. I wonder what there relationship with Iran will be like. Suppose it depends on if there is a Shah, democract, or Ayatollah there.
 
if we look at the Portuguese cities. They had been built by the Portuguese, been theirs for centuries, and then India invades.

Portugal was also a fascist state and there was quite a bit of a movement in Goa for Indian annexation. If we look at the other European exclaves, elections were uniformly won by Indian annexationists by the 1960s. Had Goa had elections, it would have probably won by Indian annexationists just as in Pondicherry, but of course it did not.

Also, all the fears that India would destroy Goa’s unique culture proved unfounded, because it was given its statehood with all the protections that implies. It was mainly those fears that put some Goans on edge about Indian rule.

do wonder how religious politics in India will be.

India will have more Muslims than any other country in the world, but I strongly suspect religions relations would be better than OTL without the horrors of Partition. I suspect you’ll see a Hindu-Muslim party coalition in the same way a Sikh party is allied to the BJP IOTL. This party will probably advocate for separate laws for Hindus and Muslims (unlike the BJP) and general religious rights. On the other hand, you’ll have the secularist INC as OTL, which will not be as socialist with the influence of more right-wing Muslim politicians. You’ll also have other parties like the successors to the Unionist Party, the party of the dispossessed elites much like the OTL Swatantra Party, but this India will likely be a two-coalition system as well.

I wonder what will happen to Balochistan and the NWFP. IOTL, Pakistan has had severe troubles in those regions since independence. I think India will be no different in that regard.
 
a United India
One big question is how big a United India?

BritIndia1860.png

Are we just talking about India, Pakistan and Bangladesh?

Or do we add the other territory that was ruled together?

So Burma, Ceylon the Indian ocean islands and even hand over Aden and control of the Gulf protectorates once GB decides to retreat west of Suez?
 
But why? Even if officially independent a UI would be able to exert almost total influence on all the surrounding nations especially if it has support from GB early on rather than OTL desire to divide and rule?

Ceylon, Burma, Bhutan, Nepal, Tibet (if not mostly Chinese), Afghanistan (split with soviet influence) and even Persia and the Gulf states and many east African nations would find it hard to avoid conforming to Indian pressure due to its power.
 
Portugal was also a fascist state and there was quite a bit of a movement in Goa for Indian annexation. If we look at the other European exclaves, elections were uniformly won by Indian annexationists by the 1960s. Had Goa had elections, it would have probably won by Indian annexationists just as in Pondicherry, but of course it did not.

Also, all the fears that India would destroy Goa’s unique culture proved unfounded, because it was given its statehood with all the protections that implies. It was mainly those fears that put some Goans on edge about Indian rule.



India will have more Muslims than any other country in the world, but I strongly suspect religions relations would be better than OTL without the horrors of Partition. I suspect you’ll see a Hindu-Muslim party coalition in the same way a Sikh party is allied to the BJP IOTL. This party will probably advocate for separate laws for Hindus and Muslims (unlike the BJP) and general religious rights. On the other hand, you’ll have the secularist INC as OTL, which will not be as socialist with the influence of more right-wing Muslim politicians. You’ll also have other parties like the successors to the Unionist Party, the party of the dispossessed elites much like the OTL Swatantra Party, but this India will likely be a two-coalition system as well.

I wonder what will happen to Balochistan and the NWFP. IOTL, Pakistan has had severe troubles in those regions since independence. I think India will be no different in that regard.
not only that, but nehru had been trying to negotiate since independence, with salazar, being the fascist with his mind stuck in the 1500s he was, not really giving a damn. if he had Goa would have at least portuguese as an official language just like pondicherry with french, that voted to join india much like goa, daman and diu possibly would if given the chance. (not even going to start on the hindu temple rebuilding after goan liberation, how many temple idols were hidden by nominally christian families for centuries until the right time came; because i have no sources on me for that other than testimonials of goans i know.)
 

destiple

Banned
What would be the impact of a United India in the cold war

Would India go neutral, pro-soviet or pro-american

What would be the impact on china

How would India deal with the Islamic Revolution and Afghanistan
if bangladesh and pak did not seperate from India , I doubt if india would be able to form a coherent foreign policy it would be much more embroiled in internal disputes
the muslim landlords ( who primarily supported partition) were STAUNCHLY anti-commi and would likely keep india pro-british and pro-US if they more of a say in politcs
the nehru socialism will fail in big chunks of india because of opposition from these nawabs.Feudalism will keep india even more backward and religious extremisim of muslim masses is far more likely than in OTL and probably much sooner.
probably the only thing that will unite hindus and muslims would be the chinease menace albiet for different reasons
Shias are such a tiny minority in india that I doubt iranian revolution will have any impact.
 
Some Impacts that are most likely confirmed -

  • India is a much more vocal global player
  • India would be the most powerful nation in Asia
  • Conflict in Afghanistan is butterflied away, making it more stable
  • Indo - Soviet relations would be bad due to having a close border
  • India would be marginally better off
I disagree with points three and four, but especially three.
 
I disagree with points three and four, but especially three.

I don’t know about three. That’s dependent on more specific events.

As for four, IOTL there was a strong movement by India to ally with the US. Nehru and even Indira Gandhi tried to ally with the US, and India only allied with the USSR in 1971 after every attempt to ally with the US failed. Even with OTL, I suspect that no Nixon in 1968 results in India’s overtures to the US succeeding and the relationship with Pakistan breaking off. ITTL, with no preexisting US-Pakistan relationship, I don’t see how India would not be an American ally.
 
The geopolitical situation of India is very different TTL because now it is India with the Soviets just over the hills rather than the Pakistanis.

They probably align with the US more. How does Pakistan and Bangladesh being part of India affect the domestic politics of the country? Might someone not as socialist as Nehru lead the country?
 
I don’t know about three. That’s dependent on more specific events.

As for four, IOTL there was a strong movement by India to ally with the US. Nehru and even Indira Gandhi tried to ally with the US, and India only allied with the USSR in 1971 after every attempt to ally with the US failed. Even with OTL, I suspect that no Nixon in 1968 results in India’s overtures to the US succeeding and the relationship with Pakistan breaking off. ITTL, with no preexisting US-Pakistan relationship, I don’t see how India would not be an American ally.
There would be millions of Pashtuns in India, as well as millions of Balochis. Nuristan too might become a point of interest for a country which likely hits one billion sooner than OTL, and will have the political and cultural influence that entails.
 

Srihari14

Banned
The geopolitical situation of India is very different TTL because now it is India with the Soviets just over the hills rather than the Pakistanis.

They probably align with the US more. How does Pakistan and Bangladesh being part of India affect the domestic politics of the country? Might someone not as socialist as Nehru lead the country?

India has to ally with the US more, no country has ever been comfortable with such a close border wit USSR

India and USSR will continue the Great Game left by their Predecessors, British and Russian empires
 

destiple

Banned
^ but they will afghanistan as a buffer state , will they not be hostile to india ? as they will not recognize the durand line

maybe USSR and india will partition afghnaistan, the pashtun areas going to india and the tajik uzbek areas to USSR
 
As for four, IOTL there was a strong movement by India to ally with the US. Nehru and even Indira Gandhi tried to ally with the US, and India only allied with the USSR in 1971 after every attempt to ally with the US failed. Even with OTL, I suspect that no Nixon in 1968 results in India’s overtures to the US succeeding and the relationship with Pakistan breaking off. ITTL, with no preexisting US-Pakistan relationship, I don’t see how India would not be an American ally.

Wasn't part of the reason why India aligned with the USSR due to the US backing Pakistan in the Bangladesh Genocide?
 

longsword14

Banned
Wasn't part of the reason why India aligned with the USSR due to the US backing Pakistan in the Bangladesh Genocide?
No. India already had decent relations with the Soviets that became much stronger with the coming of Indira Gandhi.
India had already reaffirmed ties with Moscow, with an expectation that in case of a flare up the Soviets would counter the US.
 

Srihari14

Banned
No. India already had decent relations with the Soviets that became much stronger with the coming of Indira Gandhi.
India had already reaffirmed ties with Moscow, with an expectation that in case of a flare up the Soviets would counter the US.
But the mas reason for its official friendship with USSR was USA's closeness with Pakistan
 

Srihari14

Banned
That is not what the post to which I replied said. India did not align with the USSR because of '71.
You see A United India would have inherited Britain Problem of the great game, India would be very close to USSR, the only way I can see it being a USSR ally is due to USA relations with China, and even then USA will not risk aggravating India due to its strategic position
 
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