1st Edition
Bilateral and Multilateral Cooperation in South Asia
This book examines how bilateralism and multilateralism serve as cornerstones in bringing countries together to enhance regional cooperation. It explores the unfolding dynamics of bilateral and multilateral relationships in South Asia and looks at how factors like the absence of shared identities or common threats from external sources, a lack of trust, and suspicion are manifesting as obstacles for regional cooperation.
With case studies from various constituent countries, the volume studies themes such as economic cooperation in South Asia, connections through sub-regional initiatives, migration and refugee problems in the region, SAARC and terrorism, the Pashtun factor in Afghanistan–Pakistan relations, India’s interests in ASEAN and BIMSTEC, the nuclear dynamics of India–Pakistan relations, India–Bangladesh connectivity issues, Sri Lanka as a troubled island nation, and Afghanistan’s relations with the Kashmir Valley. It discusses the implications of these long-standing issues that have stood as impediments to regional cooperation and bringing new perspectives to enable greater understanding and probable solutions.
A comprehensive and accessible volume, it will be useful for scholars and researchers of international relations, international trade, South Asian studies, SAARC, regional development, international and multilateral trade, political studies, geo-politics, strategic and defence studies, and peace and conflict resolution.
Introduction Part 1: Regionalism and Multilateralism in South Asia: Background 1. Options in Economic Cooperation: Background 2. Regionalism and Multilateralism: Contradictory or Complementary? 3. Limits of Multilateralism in South Asia Part 2: Regional Cooperation in South Asia and Beyond 4. Migration and Refugees in South Asia 5. Terrorism and Regional Cooperation: Role of SAARC 6. Connecting South Asia Through Sub-Regional Initiatives: A Case Study of (B)BINMVA 7. India’s New Regionalism in South Asia: Changing Dynamics and Patterns 8. India Looking Beyond SAARC: Is it Benefiting? 9. BIMSTEC: India’s Options for Stepping Beyond Regionalism 10. Bilateral Engagements: India’s Interests in ASEAN 11. Regional Groupings: Sri Lanka as a Troubled Island Nation Part 3: Bilateralism in South Asia 12. India-Bangladesh Connectivity: A Critical Appraisal 13. India-Pakistan Relationship: Nuclear as a Factor 14. Understanding Afghan Conundrum: Implications for India 15. Afghanistan-Pakistan Relations: Pashtun as a Factor
Biography
Adluri Subramanyam Raju is Professor and former Head of the UNESCO Madanjeet Singh Institute of South Asia Regional Cooperation (UMISARC) and Centre for South Asian Studies and Coordinator of the UGC Centre for Maritime Studies at Pondicherry University, India. He is the recipient of the Mahbub ul Haq Award (Regional Centre for Strategic Studies, Colombo, Sri Lanka), the Scholar of Peace Award (Women in Security, Conflict Management and Peace, New Delhi, 2002) and the Kodikara Award (Regional Centre for Strategic Studies, Colombo, 1998). He was a Salzburg Seminar Fellow (2006). He received the National Best Teacher Award (C.V.S. Krishnamurthy Theja Charities, Tirupati, 2017) and Best Teacher Award twice (Pondicherry University, 2013 and 2018). He is a member of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry’s Third Task Force on Blue Economy. He was previously a visiting fellow at the Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies, Colombo, Sri Lanka. He is on the editorial boards of five journals.
