Abstract
This chapter analyses the concept of regional integration in light of South Asia, which is one of the least integrated regions globally. It starts by examining regional integration in South Asia, and outlines why there has been no integration, and cooperation thus far. Subsequently, it posits that integration of the South-Asian region, or any other region for that matter, requires the collaboration, and good will of the key regional players. All regions which are integrated economically, or militarily, or both, require the cooperation between key regional players. This chapter sheds light on the prerequisites of regional integration in South Asia, if it were to materialise in the near or distant future. Furthermore, it scrutinises the regional organisation SAARC, and makes comparisons with other regional processes across the globe such as Europe, North America, and South East Asia with South-Asia. It highlights certain dynamics between India and Pakistan and assesses the role of regional powers in a regional integration process. The chapter postulates that outright hostility, or lack of cooperation and trust between key regional players severely impedes regional integration. It also briefly addresses the Kashmir conflict, which is a root cause of hostilities between India and Pakistan. As evidence indicates, for regional integration of South Asia to materialise, the resolution of this conflict is vital. This chapter concludes by assessing in light of the past and present dynamics in Kashmir, as well as the overall nature of bilateral relations between the regional powers, South Asia as a region is highly unlikely to witness integration, at least in the near future. Consequently, it sheds light on sub-regional organisations such as SASEC and BIMSTEC. It postulates that for South Asia to become a developed, industrialised and a positively peaceful society, the conflict between India and Pakistan needs resolution as a prerequisite, the odds for which are not too favourable.
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Notes
- 1.
Integral conceptualisations have been established in the early years of the scholarly pursuit of the study of regions. For a representative agenda of topics and articles illustrating the rubrics of competing, overlapping and cognate terms such as regionalism, regional cooperation, regional organisation, regional movements, regional systems, etc., see Nye, JS Jr. 1968, International Regionalism: Readings, Boston: Little, Brown and Co. See also, Haas, E. (1970). The Study of Regional Integration: Reflections on the Joy and Anguish of Pretheorizing.International Organization, 24(4), 607-646.
- 2.
For a clearer and broader perspective on regions, see for instance, Van Langenhove, L. (2013)Â Building Regions.
- 3.
Interestingly, and oddly enough, the Indus Waters Treaty represents one of the few success stories in broader India-Pakistan relations.
- 4.
For details, see Galtung, J. (1969) pp. 167–191.
- 5.
This term was used by renowned scholars in different scenarios, but it can be asserted that this applies in the South Asian regional context. This term is borrowed from Collier, P. (2007), The Bottom Billion, Oxford: Oxford University Press; and Stiglitz, J. (2015). The Great Divide, New York: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.
- 6.
S/RES/47(1948).
- 7.
Among several other examples, see International Crimes Tribunal. (2013) ICT[2]-BD Case No. 03 of 201.
- 8.
Although this is an intense topic and many in Brussels would disagree, the above-mentioned statement is made in this chapter for the purpose of simplification. Moreover, the supranational institutions of the EU, despite their imperfections and flaws, still can be characterised as the most advanced manifestation of regional integration.
- 9.
The summit is automatically postponed or cancelled even if one member country skips the event. See The Indian Express (2016).
- 10.
Nevertheless, a counter argument can be presented, that due to independence of national policy making, while at the same time maintaining regional cooperation, ASEAN countries in SE Asia were fairly unscathed by the economic crisis that plagued the Western world. The financial crisis hit Europe particularly hard and it took a while to recover as compared to the United States, South East Asia, or even South Asia. Nonetheless, this a different topic, and owing to the topic under scrutiny, regional institutions and mechanisms are vital for a regional organisation.
- 11.
This can be inferred from numerous sources, and basic historical research and process tracing. To review one such source, in lecture form, see Collier, P. (2008). The Bottom Billion, TED Talk. Available at: https://www.ted.com/talks/paul_collier_shares_4_ways_to_help_the_bottom_billion
Further Readings
Abdullah, A. Y. (2011). South Asian hope SAARC, will it survive? Dhaka: Life and Hope Foundation.
Ahmed, N. (1999). Trade liberalization in Bangladesh: An empirical investigation, A Ph.D. Thesis, University of Sydney, Australia.
Batliwalla, C.J. (1987). Financial cooperation in South Asia. ADB/EWC Symposium on regional cooperation in South Asia, Asian Development Bank, Manila, Philippines.
de Mel, D. (2011). Trade facilitation issues in South Asia. Kathmandu: South Asia Centre for Policy Studies (SACEPS).
Hill, C. W. L. (2007–2008). International business. Fifth Edition.
Govindan, K. (1996). A South Asian preferential trading arrangement: Implications for regional trade in food commodities. Journal of Economic Integration, 11(4), 478–491.
Guru-Gharana, K. K. (2000). Macro-Economic modeling of South Asian economies with Intra-SAARC trade link. Final report- submitted to south Asian network of economic institutes. Nepal: IIDS.
Hossain, M. M., & Vousden, N. (1996). Welfare effects of a discriminatory trading area in South Asia (Economic division working paper # 96/9). Canberra: Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies, Australian National University.
Naqvi, S. N. H., et al. (1988). Possibilities of regional trade expansion: A link model for Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. In H. W. Singer et al. (Eds.), Challenges of south -south cooperation, (part II). New Delhi: Asia Publishing House.
Quantification of Benefits from Economic Cooperation in South Asia. (2008). Report prepared under Asian Development Bank Technical Assistance TA 4780. Page no 55–59.
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Baruah, I. (2020). An Analysis of Regional Integration in South Asia. In: Hosli, M.O., Selleslaghs, J. (eds) The Changing Global Order. United Nations University Series on Regionalism, vol 17. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-21603-0_13
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