Environmental and Non-Conventional Security Threat in South Asia: A Study

Abstract

India is the seventh largest country in the world with an area of 32,87,2631 sq km. The country comprises plains, mountains and seas which give India a unique geographical entity in South Asia. Since the ancient times India has been a place of cultural and religious ethos having holistic approach with nature and environment. During colonization, natural resources and bio-diversity was destroyed largely to meet the needs of growing industrialization. India is an agrarian country and feeds 17% of the world population, majority of which depend on the natural resources to meet their needs and livelihood. India is also among the first ten industrial countries in the world and one of the fastest growing economies. Thus, India's environmental problems and vulnerabilities are shaped and caused by rapid growth of industrialization, urbanization, population, poverty, transportation etc. The environmental problems are challenges and threats that affect the wellbeing and survival of people often referred as non-traditional security threat. South Asia's prominent non-traditional security concerns are climate change, environmental degradation; water, energy and food security