Connectivity as a New Peace: A Geoeconomic Vision for a Peaceful and Prosperous South Asia
Though South Asia is economically growing, it is a paradox that close to a billion people in South Asia are still experiencing moderate poverty. Severe socio-economic conditions in South Asia makes its growing Gross Domestic Product (GDP) dubious. Poverty is a major obstacle to both human development in the region and global progress on poverty eradication. One of the major reasons for this underdevelopment in South Asia, is regional prioritization of geopolitics over geoeconomics, particularly the enduring rivalry between India and Pakistan. Given that political rivalries dominate the national objectives, the South Asian countries are blinded to vast economic cooperative opportunities in the region.