POL 40 — India, the United States, and the New Geopolitics of Asia
Quarter: Fall
Instructor(s): Arzan Tarapore
Date(s): Oct 5—Nov 9
Class Recording Available: Yes
Class Meeting Day: Mondays
Grade Restriction: NGR only; no credit/letter grade
Class Meeting Time: 6:30—8:00 pm (PT)
Tuition: $380
Refund Deadline: Oct 7
Unit(s): 0
Status: Open
Quarter: Fall
Day: Mondays
Duration: 6 weeks
Time: 6:30—8:00 pm (PT)
Date(s): Oct 5—Nov 9
Unit(s): 0
Tuition: $380
Refund Deadline: Oct 7
Instructor(s): Arzan Tarapore
Grade Restriction: NGR only; no credit/letter grade
Recording Available: Yes
Status: Open
India sits at the center of Asia’s shifting power balance, shaping security, technology, and trade across the Indo-Pacific. This course examines how India’s rise as both the world’s largest democracy and a major force in global politics is reshaping the geopolitics of Asia, particularly through its evolving relationship with the United States. Over the past two decades, ties between the two countries have evolved from cautious engagement to strategic partnership. As rivalry with China intensifies, including tensions along their disputed Himalayan border, that partnership is increasingly shaping regional security, contested supply chains, and competition over artificial intelligence, telecommunications, and semiconductor manufacturing. Yet India has long prized strategic autonomy, raising a central question: How far, and under what conditions, will India align with the United States? We’ll explore the history, strategic culture, and geographic realities shaping decision-making in New Delhi, and why India’s choices will help shape Asia’s future.
ARZAN TARAPORE
Research Scholar, Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC), Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, Stanford
Arzan Tarapore specializes in Indian military strategy and Indo-Pacific security. He spent 13 years in the Australian Department of Defence, including operational deployments and a diplomatic posting in Washington, DC. His work appears in International Affairs, The Washington Quarterly, Foreign Affairs, War on the Rocks, and other outlets. He has held positions at Georgetown, RAND, and the East-West Center. He received a PhD from King’s College London. Textbooks for this course:
There are no required textbooks; however, some fee-based online readings may be assigned.