Regional Cooperation in South Asia: a Study of Political and Economic Dimensions of Saarc

In the present global and economic regimebased on the WTO (GATT) and IMF system,which has sustained the world economy sinceWorld War II, regionalism, through whichneighbouring countries seek to strengthentheir economic and political relations byentering into some form of “regionalintegration” has become a major trend. Theglobal trend towards a fee trade and theformation of intraregional blocs spurredSouth Asia into action and in 1985, the SouthAsian Association for regional cooperationwas formed.The compulsions and prospects forregional integration in South Asia aretremendous. There are obvious economicobstacles and political differences and thereare also various ways to overcome them.This book has been divided into fivechapters describing the conceptual analysis ofthe of regional integration, theories, the roleof WTO, the historical development andorigin of SAARC, SAARC institutionalcentre, SAARC charter and various functionsof SAARC regional centers, had alsoanalysed the present economic and politicalcondition of SAARC nations and variouseconomic and political impedimentsprevailing in the region, ways to overcomeand the future prospects of SAARC.