Peace and cooperation

Despite the conflicts, South Asian countries see that cooperation would help them all, especially in trade, poverty and disaster relief.

SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation), set up in 1985, is the main regional body. But political quarrels, above all between India and Pakistan, have kept it weak: summits are often postponed.

SAFTA (South Asian Free Trade Area) was signed in 2004 and came into force on 1 January 2006. It aims to cut tariffs and make the region a free trade zone.

Some neighbours fear SAFTA: they worry that India's big economy will flood their markets and that this economic presence will give India political influence. India argues that freer trade would help everyone, and that a richer region is a more peaceful one.

India and Pakistan have tried many peace efforts:

• confidence-building measures to reduce the risk of war;
• summit meetings between leaders;
• bus routes across the border (Delhi–Lahore) and easier visas;
• trade, cricket and cultural exchanges.

These steps often stall after a terror attack or a border clash, then start again.

Outside powers matter too:

• China is a close partner of Pakistan and competes with India for influence; the border dispute is a major irritant in Sino-Indian ties.
• The US has good relations with both India and Pakistan and increasingly acts as a moderator between them.

In the end, the region's future depends on its own people: peace and cooperation can grow if they keep demanding them.