[happyathome]

My first impression is that the rise of India to superpower status should not cause the kinds problems we see with China. Indian interests have usually been contrained by geography to the South Asian demi-continent - no history of foreign conquests like China, and no cultural inferiority complex which requires foreigners to kowtow (like China).

In future, the area most likely to be impacted by an Indian rise is Southeast Asia - they may feel like they have to chose between China and India, which could result in instability and proxy wars.

All that said, I'm not much of a scholar on India so would defer to an expert.

[Cronos]

In future, the area most likely to be impacted by an Indian rise is Southeast Asia - they may feel like they have to chose between China and India, which could result in instability and proxy wars.

Well, South-east Asia would be balanced 3 or possibly 4 ways: until India's rise, they were more or less reconciled to China eventually become suzereign. Now, India won't let that happen and possibly Indonesia won't either. Australia may play an increasingly larger role as the Aussies realise that they are part of Asia. Remember that India has a history with SE Asia stretching back millenia -- that region was practically civilised by Indian culture (Bali is a remnant of those times)