Inter-State Conflicts and Contentious Issues in South Asia Challenges and Prospects for SAARC

Description

The organization of eight South Asian nations, namely India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan , Sri Lanka and Afghanistan with observer nations, Myanmar, China, Iran, the European Union (EU) and the United States, to name a few, is known as the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). It was established at the first summit in Dhaka on December 7-8, 1985. India, significantly, constitutes 70 per cent or more of SAARC's area and population. All have a shared culture, ethnicity and experienced long interactive historical events including British imperialism and its consequences. Over the years, SAARC has attempted to address several regional concerns, for instance drug and human trafficking, economic cooperation among south Asian states and the forging of a south Asian social identity and most recently efforts have been made to tackle the menace of terrorism in the region. Despite its stated intentions SAARC as a regional body has for years grappled with interstate, intra-state and regional conflicts. Since its existence in 1985, SAARC has been criticized for its failure to forge an effective regional identity. Inter-state conflicts and the bilateral interests of member states have a decisive influence on the achievements of SAARC; the regional body has also been influenced by external players and other regional organizations. SAARC, regrettably, has yet to develop into a conflict-mediating or conflict-resolving institution both on multilateral and bilateral issues. This publication is a by-product of a very successful ICSSR sponsored National Seminar organized by the Department of Political Science – University School of Open Learning, Panjab University, Chandigarh from March 24-25 , 2014. The book comprises of papers presented during the National Seminar from learned and distinguished experts, academicians, and research scholars. Contents List of Contributors Foreword Preface Introduction SAARC and Indian Ocean: An Agenda for Action — Mohammed Khalid South Asian Security Perspective (Role of SAARC) — K.S. Sidhu SAARC: Challenges of Human Trafficking, Illegal Migration and Human Security — Dr Rajesh Kumar Afghanistan: 8th Member of SAARC — Surinder K. Shukla Small States and Regional Organisations: Case Study of Bhutan and SAARC — Mathew Joseph Non-Tariff Barriers to Indo-Pakistan Trade — Davinder Kumar Madaan Indo-Pak Disputes: Bumpy Road Ahead For SAARC — Emanual Nahar India’s Security Concerns: Nuclear Proliferation in South Asia — Kuldeep Singh Theorising India’s Role in SAARC — Pushpinder Kaur Strengthening SAARC: India-Sri Lanka Experience — Gurnam Chand Curbing Transnational Terrorism in South Asia: A Regional Concern — Kanwar Deep Singh Climate Change and SAARC: The Politics of Regional Cooperation — Dr Rajnish Saryal Trends of Regional Integration and SAARC — Hari K. Sharma Mapping SAARC’s Role in the Changing Geopolitical and Geostrategic Landscape — Bawa Singh Terrorism in South Asia and its impact on Indian Security — Madhu Chopra Mapping SAARC: Towards a Cooperative Security Framework in South Asia — Sujit Lahiry Indo-Pak Disputes: Impact on Regional Cooperation in South Asia — Harinderjit Kaur Regionalism in the Age of Globalisation: Reinventing the SAARC through New Regional Approach — Rajiv Kumar China’s Attitude and Perceptions towards SAARC: An Overview — Shayama Bangar and Priyanaka SAARC at Twenty-Eight: Bridging Bridges through Energy — Reema Duggal India’s Approach Towards SAARC — Anjna Malhotra Approaches to Regionalism in the Post-Cold War Era: An Assessment — Sheveta Sehgal Economic Integration among SAARC Countries: From SAPTA to SAFTA — Vipin Sharma, Dr Vinod Kumar