Sacred sites form a vital component in manifesting the right to freedom of religion. They also function as identity icons for the religious communities in a multi-religious state like India. Protecting them therefore, from aggression, or demolition by states and non-state actors is fundamental to guaranteeing such freedom. The consequences of attacking a sacred site are obvious from the Ayodhya dispute, in which all three organs of the Indian state failed to protect the Babri Masjid from illegal demolition, and to prevent the subsequent nationwide riots. However, the legal failure of the judiciary is quite apparent from the fact that it could not adjudicate an ongoing dispute for more than forty-two years. This protracted delay helped the religious militant groups to transform a local issue into a national dispute which has affected the secular and democratic fabric of contemporary India. This presents a further challenge to the pluralistic nature of Indian society and threatens peace and security in the South Asian region. The inadequacy of domestic legal mechanisms to settle disputes and provide remedy for violation of human rights warrants intervention at the level of international law. The existing international law provisions, namely, the right to freedom of religion, rights of the minorities, right to property and protection of cultural rights, have failed to include the protection of sacred sites as a right to a religious community. The global human rights mechanisms are mostly monitoring bodies and lack the judicial power. In promoting and protecting human rights, the regional human rights mechanisms, particularly the regional courts, have made use of their ability to deliver binding decisions on member states. The inadequacies in international law are best addressed by a regional convention for the protection of sacred sites, embedded in the existing structures of SAARC. Acknowledgements Table of Documents Table of Cases Abbreviations Glossary TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 5 8 13 20 24 1.1. My thesis ................................................................................................................... 27 1.2. Scope of the study ..................................................................................................... 29 1.3. Objectives .................................................................................................................. 34 1.4. Research Questions ................................................................................................... 34 1.5. Methodology ............................................................................................................. 35 1.6. Contribution of the research ...................................................................................... 38 1.7. Reservations on the research findings ....................................................................... 42 1.8. Overview of the thesis ............................................................................................... 44 CHAPTER 2 RESEARCH CONTEXT 2.

Sacred sites and international law : a case study of the Ayodhya dispute

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) can play a significant role in the sustainable development of South Asia if appropriately implemented. Apart from the economic, trade, and cultural benefits of this colossal infrastructure, less is known about its environmental impact on South Asia. This study looks closely at the potential impact of the BRI on the South Asian environment. This research is based on the government-issued environmental policies, peer-reviewed literature, media articles, and reports. It has been suggested that the BRI could have a negative impact on the South Asian environment, which provided if does not consider the Paris agreement with its partners in the region. The study suggests that partner countries should adopt the BRI project to the principles of environmental impact assessment.

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2022.876606/pdf

Belt and Road Environmental Implications for South Asia

This paper mainly examines the influence and contribution of China in South Asia After the declaration of the ‘Belt Road Initiative’ (BRI), China has driven the strong advancement of infrastructure programmes in the countries of South Asia Despite China have made a successful condition all through the Indian Ocean Region, pragmatist researchers contend that Beijing's goals are to use this infrastructure to make abroad bases; compromise the influence of India, and expand Chinese influence by challenging the order of the region At the point when seen in a moderate way, the activity makes open doors for infrastructure advancements, supports multilateral development, and address the disappointment that current worldwide and local organizations might not be able to survive By choosing perspective to see China's aims, the influences in South Asia can evaluate how to tackle these projects and either support or challenge China

Influence and contribution of china in south asia

Chinese foreign direct investment inflows in India increased from just US $1 million in 2010 to the US $173 million in 2019, while the total private equity investment was US $3,423 million in the same period. Chinese companies emerged as majority shareholders in several Indian start-ups, particularly in the technology sector. In contrast to this economic development, there has been a constant clash among the borders, noticeably in the Dokhlam and Galwan valleys with a few other minor clashes in different areas. Both nations are experiencing a booming economic alliance and shrinking political and diplomatic relations at the same time. In this background, the current article attempts to explore the key factors influencing the Chinese to invest in India. This article also attempts to analyse the nature of Chinese investment and explain why many countries look at Chinese investment with suspicion. Applying the regression model, the study finds that various policy variables played a significant role in attracting Chinese investors to India. JEL Codes: P33, F10, F50

Capturing the Growth of Chinese Investment in India

China and its Neighbors: Relations in a New Context

In recent years, there has been a rise in China’s profile in South Asia. It is no surprise that Chinese experts have used terms, such as ‘new springtime’ in China–South Asia relations, ‘rediscovery...

China’s South Asia Policy in the ‘New Era’:

The 13thNAM summit conference held on February 24-25,2003 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, was a significant watershed in the 43-yeu oldhistoryoftheNAMbecauseit wasnotonlythefirst in the21st century but it was one of the most important summits devoted ti, the id, of revitalisation ofthe movement and seeking its meanigfill role bath in i11c economic and political fields after critics made desperate attempts 10 pitiay it as irrelevant and outdated in the post-cold war era. This summit conference was scheduled to be held in 2001 but it was deferred due to the reluctance of a few of its member-states to play the host.’ The most important feature ofthis summit was that a concerted effort was made for revitalising the movement for its continued and vigorous existence and NAM’s objectives were vested with far greater significance. However, it can be said that this summit was held in an atmosphere of perceptible disenchantment and detachment among its member-states. The Indian Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, aptly observed, “NAM is a histoiic movement in a new century. We need to introspect, take stock of our achievements as well as failures and take concrete steps to revitalise our movement.”’ This message hinted at the discredit incurred by theNAM in failing to condemn the outrageous attacks on its member-states and bilateral issues’which have tarnished its image, questioned its performance and pushed it to a critical juncture where it is urgently required to reorient its role in the changed international milieu. The 13thNAii summit witnesed low attendance of the heads oftliestates and governments as compared to the 12thNAM sumniit held in Durban in 1998 or even the 7th NAM kunmit that was held in New Delhi in 1983.3 Only 63 heads ofstates and governments, a little over a half of its total membership of 1 16 were present at the 13thNAiM summit: Doubtless, it confirmed the disenchantment

Problems and Prospects of the Nam in the 21st Century: The Post — 13th Nam Summit Syndrome:

Democracy advocates liberal governance which in turn seeks to bolster individual freedom by granting rights and ensuring equality of all members of society. In this sense, democracy also entails a just socio-economic order. Democratic values, one may even argue, embody a certain way of living and a society that insists on values of consensus, accommodation, accountability and representativeness. The foremost virtue of democracy, as compared to other systems of governance, is its capacity for self-correction.

Sanjeev Kumar

Papers

China’s South Asia Policy in the ‘New Era’:

Problems and Prospects of the Nam in the 21st Century: The Post — 13th Nam Summit Syndrome:

Democratic Paralysis in South Asia: Major Issues and India's Concerns