SAARC and Interstate Conflicts in South Asia: Prospects and Challenges for Regionalism

Abstract

"Today, peace means the ascent from simple coexistence to cooperation and common creativity among countries and nations." --Mikhail Gorbachev. Richness in material and human resources has warranted a constant interaction between countries in South Asia and the outside world. South Asian states have also been aware of their geopolitical advantages and the need to integrate into a regional force. The culmination of such an understanding was the creation of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) in 1985. However, over the years, the successful functioning of SAARC has been confronted with several challenges owing to the dynamics of the regional environment.