Dynamics of Regional Geopolitics and Challenges to CPEC: The Afghan and Iranian Perspectives

Abstract

- The concentration of global politics has been shifting from the West towards Asia due to China's substantial role in the continuing antagonism on the chessboard of international politics.The shifting embryonic paradigm of the region will challenge the status-quo showing a strategic change with severe ramifications for Pakistan in the evolving trends of security in South Asia.China’s enormous investment in CPEC is raising apprehensions from neighbours in the region, specifically by Indians, which is anxious about China's growing influence and its ambitions in the region of the Indian Ocean.China desires to contain India as it deliberates that the US and Indian desire to counteract China's presence in the Indian Ocean. In this way, there exists Indo-US nexus against China.The challenges to CPEC prolong from the existing regional paradox of security environment in Afghanistan to conflicting geostrategic interests of instant neighbouring states like Iran and India. The spillover effects may destabilize the security environment of Pakistan and the
region. The successful execution of the CPEC project depends on the region's geopolitical climate, precisely India's stance on the project and instability in Afghanistan. This research aims to analyze regional geopolitics dynamics and challenges to CPEC with respect to Afghan and Iranian perspectives. Despite apprehensions, it is viewed as a win-win situation for Pakistan and China and for Afghanistan Iran and the entire region.