How much do Indian states influence the country’s neighbourhood policy?

New Delhi continues to shape the contours of bilateral relations, ignoring the states’ volatility.

Recent elections in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu have sparked greater interest in India’s neighbourhood. Many articles have speculated about their impact on bilateral relations between India and its neighbouring countries, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Elections in West Bengal generate interest in Bangladesh, given that memories of the 1947 Partition continue to shape much of the state’s politics. A new regional political party, the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), was elected in Tamil Nadu, and its manifesto outlined the party’s approach to Tamils in Sri Lanka.