Battleground South Asia (Paperback)

Battleground South Asia offers a sweeping, eyewitness account of the political storms, wars, and power struggles that have shaped one of the world’s most volatile regions. Drawing on decades of on-ground reporting, Prem Prakash traces the arc of history from the decline of colonial rule to the rise of modern nation-states—India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Myanmar, the Maldives and Afghanistan—each grappling with identity, ideology, and external interference. The narrative revisits decisive moments: India’s constitutional birth, Pakistan’s repeated military takeovers, Bangladesh’s violent liberation, China’s growing footprint as it maps its ambitious Belt and Road Initiative, Afghanistan’s tragic descent into geopolitical conflict, the Sri Lankan civil war, and the recent shifts that have redrawn alliances. With personal accounts from battlefields, border crossings, and diplomatic flashpoints, Prem Prakash presents a vivid portrait of South Asia’s past and the dangerous uncertainties of its present. As global superpowers compete for control and influence, the region, now pitted against the turmoil in West Asia, stands at a critical turning point. Battleground South Asia explains how history brought us here—and what the future may demand from nations still searching for stability.