Abstract
An assessment of the dynamics of demand for a regional
cooperation arrangement is the key to evaluate its performance. The
paper explores the dynamics of demand for South Asian regionalism by
employing content analysis method. The smaller regional countries
(SRCs) had taken the lead to initiate the idea of South Asian regionalism
that necessitates exploring as to what motives SRCs had intended to
pursue through a regional cooperation organization. An analysis of the
speeches delivered by the leaders of SRCs at SAARC summits during
initial years after its inception reveal that they had intended to pursue
various strategic, political and economic objectives. They mainly wanted
to contain India’s hegemonic policies and to preserve their separate
identity, secure national independence and sovereign equality and to
protect their territorial integrity. They also wanted to meet challenges to
their security such as terrorism; threats from nuclear build up and arms
race, and; environmental degradation and rise in the sea level. They also
wanted to achieve economic independence and self–reliance, rapid
industrialization and equitable distribution of gains from regional
cooperation
Dr. Manzoor Ahmad. (2016) DYNAMICS OF DEMAND FOR SOUTH ASIAN REGIONALISM: AN ASSESSMENT OF THE NEEDS OF SMALLER MEMBERS IN SAARC, Pakistan , Volume 52, Issue 1.
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