ISSI Roundtable evaluates “Recent Developments in South Asia” and proposes way forward for Pakistan

Celina Ali

Islamabad: In the backdrop of far-reaching transformations occurring in South Asia, including recent changes in Bangladesh, the India Study Centre (ISC) at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) organized a Round-table discussion, titled “Recent Developments in South Asia.” The RT was attended by diplomats, practitioners, academics, heads of think-tanks and area specialists.

The participants reviewed the domestic, regional and global dynamics of the recent developments in several South Asian states and highlighted their wider implications. They emphasized the importance of recognizing the local dynamics of each situation and the need for deeper understanding of the political culture and traditions of each state. In the case of Bangladesh, the salience of the ‘people’s movement’, spearheaded by the students, was underlined. It was also stressed that there were obvious limitations to any given state’s attempts to establish its domination over the region and that the recent turn of events showed that the policies of direct or indirect interference had backfired. The layer of complexity added by the global geo-politics and major-power contestation to regional politics in South Asia was also underscored.

The participants highlighted a range of policy actions for Pakistan — envisioning strategic balance in South Asia; adopting multi-pronged regional engagement; promoting robust bilateral relations with South Asian partner countries; strengthening civilizational linkages; adopting a pro-active approach in the evolving geo-strategic environment; and prioritizing trade and economic ties within and beyond the region. Participants also underscored the importance of connectivity and economic integration, including reinforced regional cooperation process. The participants concluded that Pakistan recognizes the pivotal importance of South Asia in the Asian balance-of-power and supports sustainable peace and stability in the region.