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The World’s Biggest Election Is Set to Begin

Welcome to Foreign Policy’s South Asia Brief. The highlights this week: India’s national election begins with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his party favored to win, South Asian capitals call for Israel-Iran de-escalation, and the Maldives aims to bring in more Indian tourists. Read the original article here.

Quick Facts

• India’s national election begins on Friday and runs for six weeks, through June 1. The incumbent government is favored to win, and the election is playing out against a backdrop of sidelined opposition leaders and growing crackdowns on dissent.
• South Asian foreign offices issued statements calling for immediate de-escalation after Iran’s attack against Israel over the weekend. Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan have major energy and trade interests in the Middle East.
• The BJP released its manifesto for this year’s election, vowing to make India a safer, healthier, better educated, and more prosperous country by 2047. The Congress party’s manifesto also focuses on social welfare and development.

India’s national election begins on Friday and runs for six weeks, through June 1. At first glance, the vote may seem similar to two others in South Asia this year. Just as in Bangladesh in January and Pakistan in February, an incumbent government is favored to win, and the election is playing out against a backdrop of sidelined opposition leaders and growing crackdowns on dissent.

Soon after Iran’s attack against Israel over the weekend, a few South Asian foreign offices issued similar statements calling for immediate de-escalation. Instability in the Middle East works against the interests of states in South Asia, especially Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan. They have major energy and trade interests in the Middle East, as well as many citizens working in the region.

Last Sunday, the BJP released its manifesto for this year’s election, vowing to make India a safer, healthier, better educated, and more prosperous country by 2047. The policy document plays on one of Modi’s main campaign slogans, the Modi guarantee, by echoing his promises to take further steps to make India a developed country. The Congress party’s manifesto also focuses on social welfare and development, with a short section on foreign policy.

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