Abstract
Regionalism and maximizing intra-regional interaction has become a significant phenomenon in international relations. The waves of globalization and liberalization have further made it obligatory for all the nation-states to strengthen their regional economic inter-linkages. The need for the South Asian regional alliance was felt during the eighties. The agreement among the seven South Asian countries – India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives – over the establishment of SAARC has been a significant achievement in the decade of the eighties. In 2007 Afghanistan joined the association, as the eighth member. With the aim of promoting cooperation in economic, social, cultural and scientific fields, this regional forum opens new opportunities for the region. The members of SAARC are determined to improve the quality of life of the South Asian people by uplifting social, economic and cultural standards; encouraging self-reliance; promoting mutual assistance; enhancing collaboration with other countries and regional and international organizations. Despite strong ambitions, the progress of SAARC has not been encouraging. Compared to other regional organizations specially the EU or ASEAN, its record of achievements is hardly impressive. This study deals with the regionalism process in South Asia and explanatively evaluates the various cooperation and integration schemes that take place in the region. The research problem behind this study is to identify the major obstacles that hinder the smooth progress of SAARC and affect the process of economic integration in the region.
Dr. Muhammad Ali,. (2014) A Critical Study of Regionalism in South Asia: Challenges and Perspectives (A Case Study SAARC) , The Dialogue, Volume 9, Issue 3.
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