Track 1.5 and 2.0 Dialogues way forward to South Asia's Prosperity: Experts
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South Asia is a vibrant yet volatile region, where historical ties and modern rivalries collide—amplified by global power plays, said Pradeep S. Mehta, Secretary General, CUTS International in his opening remarks.Moderating a session titled Perpetual Conundrums in South Asia, Mehta emphasised the need for regional cooperation to tackle shared challenges, from climate change to trade disruption.Pointing to the recent India-Pakistan conflict, Lt Gen Subrata Saha (Retd.), former Member National Security Advisory Board of India, highlighted India's shifting military posture, noting its response to cross-border terrorism. 'From surgical strikes post-Uri to deeper incursions after Pulwama, India's suppression of Pakistani air defences and subsequent ceasefire requests marked a turning point in deterrence.'Former Foreign Secretary of Sri Lanka, Amb. Prasad Kariyawasam, underscored the geostrategic importance of Sri Lanka in the Indian Ocean. 'Ninety percent of global trade is seaborne. A stable Indian Ocean is vital for Sri Lanka's economic security, and there's strong bipartisan support for deeper ties with India,' he said.Amb. Tariq Ahmad Karim, Advisor, Centre for Bay of Bengal Studies, Independent University, Bangladesh and former Bangladesh envoy to India reflected on the region's challenges, stating, 'South Asia's inability to cooperate stems from a failure to learn from shared history. Geography ensures we can't escape each other, yet we remain stuck in the past'.Discussing the role of other countries and regions, especially the US in this region, Michael Kugelman, Senior Fellow, Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada remarked, 'Under a potential Trump 2.0 administration, trade and great-power competition will likely dominate U.S. engagement, though strategic ambiguity persists,''South Asia remains low on the EU's agenda. Moving beyond symbolic gestures to meaningful engagement is critical,' said Shada Islam, Founder, New Horizons Project, Belgium, as she critiqued the EU's approach.'The EU's engagement is ritualistic, overly influenced by the transatlantic partnership. There is an urgent need to move beyond symbolism to meaningful regional engagement.' she added.'India's resistance to Chinese projects curbs BRI's South Asian reach. Nepal's vision of trilateral connectivity remains aspirational without India's involvement', said Apekshya Shah, Senior Fellow, Nepal Economic Forum. She further added governance issues and limited political consensus remain major challenges in Nepal.While delivering the closing remarks, Bipul Chattopadhyay, Executive Director of CUTS International, called for a stronger focus on fostering not only physical connectivity but also energy and people-to-people linkages in the future. He emphasised that security remains supreme, noting that 'mutual respect for each nation's security and sovereignty is essential to forging a path towards incremental progress in regional cooperation.'
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