Topic: India and its neighbourhood- relations
Q4. What are the major obstacles to regional integration in South Asia? How has the India-Pakistan conflict exacerbated them? (10 M)
Difficulty Level: Medium
Reference: IE
Why the question
Recent India-Pakistan conflict and its spillover on trade and diplomacy have reignited concerns over SAARC’s dysfunction and the broader failure of South Asian regionalism.Key Demand of the question
The answer must identify structural and geopolitical obstacles to South Asian integration and then explain how India-Pakistan tensions deepen these hurdles through trade disruption, institutional paralysis, and regional instability.Structure of the Answer:
Introduction
Briefly introduce South Asia’s unrealised integration potential despite geographic and cultural proximity.Body
- Mention major obstacles like political mistrust, institutional limitations, trade barriers, infrastructure gaps, and power asymmetry.
- Explain how India-Pakistan tensions worsen trade disruption, multilateral deadlock, investor anxiety, and shift toward alternative blocs.
Conclusion
Suggest the need for insulating regional platforms like SAARC from bilateral conflicts to revive South Asian cooperation.
