Securitisation of Religious Minorities in India and Pakistan: A Comparative Study

While almost all South Asian countries are witness to the securitisation of religious minorities due to the rise of majoritarian nationalism, the dynamic between India and Pakistan presents an interesting comparative case. The study analyses the securitisation of Hindus and Muslims in India and Pakistan, respectively, and draws a comparison between the parallel trends of securitisation. On a side note, the paper also looks at how it affects the states’ bilateral relations and probable implications for regional stability. The significance of the study emanates from the impact of the securitisation of religious minorities in the two countries on their internal security and its possible spillover effect on the broader South Asian security landscape. Besides Buzan and Wæver, the study is based on the theoretical foundations laid down by Lægaard to explore religious minorities in the context of threat and security. The relevant legal frameworks, economic marginalisation, educational limitations, and examples of faith-based violence and discrimination faced by the Hindus and Muslims in Pakistan and India correspondingly have been assessed. Instances of ostracisation and violence against religious minorities are reported in both India and Pakistan. However, in India, the avenues for redressing the grave situation are getting limited as many in the ruling government are tacitly supporting societal marginalisation and undue violence targeting Muslims. In Pakistan, contrarily, Hindu minority rights are advocated for by the larger community and political stakeholders, with greater state acceptability for the reversal of any policies or retribution for societal actions against minorities. The securitisation of religious minorities in India and Pakistan negatively affects their protection and rights, harms bilateral ties and is detrimental to regional security.