Influence of Hindutva on Indian Electoral Politics: Implications for Regional Peace and Security

Abstract

This paper analyses the increasing influence of Hindutva on Indian electoral politics and examines its implications for regional peace and security. Hindutva has become a central characteristic of Indian electoral politics, particularly since the rise of Narendra Modi in mainstream politics. The paper also examines the invocation of anti-Pakistan rhetoric by Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders to secure the Hindu-majority votes, with especial focus on the escalation dynamics between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, India and Pakistan. The research questions include: (i) How and when did Hindutva emerge as a dominant ideological force in Indian electoral politics; (ii) How Narendra Modi and BJP incentivize anti-Pakistan rhetoric during election campaign to secure votes?; and (iii) How does Hindutva-driven foreign policy under Narendra Modi risk military conflict and crisis instability in South Asia? The paper employs constructivist theoretical framework to analyze the relationship between India’s domestic electoral politics and its foreign policy towards Pakistan. Importantly, there is a clear interplay between Hindutva-based electoral imperatives and Modi-led BJP government’s military posturing toward Pakistan, thereby affecting regional peace and security. It is qualitative research and has used secondary sources, including political speeches, BJP election manifestos, scholarly literature, and policy reports.