3rd South Asia Conference: South Asia 2020: Towards Cooperation or Conflict?

Democratic political transitions in the South Asian countries have generated immense hope and aspirations among the masses of the region for a promising future that would deal with issues of poverty, better access to health care facilities, education and provide employment opportunities to its youth. Aspirations embedded in movements for restoration of democracy in some countries and greater democratization and transparency in others have provided opportunity for the countries of South Asia to think of a cooperative future that can help the countries of the region to achieve these goals. SAARC as a process has tried to strengthen the spirit of regional cooperation by providing a political platform to the leaders of these countries to come together and address some of these issues.South Asian countries face various challenges that have undermined efforts of cooperation. Mutual distrust has not let the countries undertake cooperative efforts to deal with issues like poverty, terrorism, fundamentalism, unemployment and environment that affect all the countries. There are many endeavors underway driven mainly by initiatives of the civil society. There is a growing feeling that the states need to make earnest efforts to build on some of these civil society initiatives and take concrete actions. There are several issues: visa relaxation, facilitating people to people contacts and cultural exchanges in areas like culture, art and cinema. The countries of South Asia are reluctant to facilitate movement of people across borders. People are yearning for good relations among the countries of the region so as to take advantage of growing economic opportunities and facilities like cheaper medical care. Since all the countries now have democratically elected governments in place the people of South Asia are in a position to nudge the governments towards greater cooperation.

Bilateral disagreements will take their own time to be resolved. Past engagements have shown that conflict does not bring about any solution. Rather it exacerbates suspicion and deepens antagonism thereby impeding regional cooperation. It is imperative therefore to develop a vision for the region’s future. The questions that we need to answer are: how do we see the future of our countries, our future as South Asians? And how do we see the interstate relations in that future? Are we moving towards a future that is marked by mutual antagonism and uncertainty or a cooperative future marked by prosperity, peace and stability?

This international seminar aims to bring together scholars of the region to explore some of these ideas and initiate a debate on how we look at our respective countries and the region from the prism of conflict or cooperation in 2020. The goal is to exchange ideas and reflect on a collective future in which regional cooperation can resolve common problems and achieve common goals. The objective of the seminar is to chart out a path for mutual cooperation and let differences not hinder cooperation. The conference will reflect on some of these questions:

• Can the countries of the region look forward to better political relations in 2020?
• How will democratization impact civil society movements and enable greater people to people contact?
• What will be the framework of cooperation to deal with non-state actors?
• Will there be greater trade and investment from within the region?
• What will be the role of external powers in the region?
• How do countries of South Asia look at the future given the development in communication network, transnational security threats, environment challenges and problems of development in 2020?
• Will the region be able to cope with issues food, water and energy security?
• Will the countries and the region be able to deal with climate change?

November 4 (Day one)

0930: Welcome remarks by Director General, IDSA
09.35: Keynote Address by Ms Nirupama Rao, Foreign Secretary
0955: Vote of Thanks
1000: Tea

First Session: 10.15-12.00: Forging Regional Consensus on Core Areas of Cooperation

Chair: Shri N.S.Sisodia

• South Asia 2020: A futuristic Perspective
  — Dr Arvind Gupta
• Dealing with Terrorism in 2020: Can there be a Regional Approach?
  — Brig (retd) Shahidul Anam
• South Asia between Co-operation and Conflict: Globalization, Peace Building & Violence
  — Dr. Darini Rajasingham Senanayake

Second Session: 1200-1330: Regional approach to a Cooperative Future

Chair: Shri Rajiv Sikri

• South Asian Regional Security Architecture: Creating Order from Anarchy
  — Dr Sujit Dutta
• Changing Pattern of Security Threats: Time for Realignment
  — Dr Kaiser Bengali
• Sharing Common Rivers: Is it a Source of Cooperation or Conflict?
  — Dr. Uttam Kumar Sinha

Lunch 1330-1430

Third Session: 1430-1700 hrs: Securing South Asia: Country Perspectives

Chair :Lt Gen. B. S. Malik

• Stabilising Afghanistan: Challenges Ahead
  — Dr Davood Moradian
• The Tamil National Question in Sri Lanka: Current Dynamics and Future Trends
  — Dr. Sumansiri Liyanage
• Fedralising the Nepali State: Challenges and Opportunities
  — Prof. Krishna Khanal
• Radicalisation of Civil Society in Pakistan: What laid Ahead?
  — Dr. Tahmina Rashid
• South Asia 2020: A Maldivian Perspective
  — Mr. Ibrahim Hussain Zaki

November 5 (Day two)

First Session: 9.30-11.30 hrs: Role of Regional Organisations in the future of South Asia

Chair: Amb. I.P.Khosla

• Future of Regional Organisations: Case study of BIMSTEC
  — Dr Amita Batra
• Regional Economic Integration and SAFTA: What does it portend?
  — Dr. Nitya Nanda & Mr. Souvik Bhattacharjya
• Does SAARC have a Future?
  — Dr. Smruti S Pattanaik

Second Session: 11.45-1330 hrs: Role of Extra-regional Powers

Chair: Prof Madhu Bhalla

• Role of Extra Regional Powers and Future of Peace Process in Nepal
  — Mr. Nishchal Nath Pandey
• Afghan Conundrum: Can there be a Regional approach
  — Dr Ahmad Shayeq Qassem
• Extra-regional Powers and Emerging Security Scenario in South Asia
  — Prof Rajesh Rajagopalan
• China and South Asia
  — Prof Swaran Singh

Lunch 1330-1430

Third Session: 1430-1700hrs: Way Forward: Building a Common Future

• Is there a Future to Indo-Pak Economic Relations?
  — Asad Sayeed
• Regional Connectivity: Getting Past the Impediments
  — Dr Rahmatullah
• Regional Framework for Non-state Actors in South Asia
  — Ms Swadesh M Rana

1700-1730 hrs : Valedictory address by Amb. Leela Ponappa, Former Deputy NSA

1730-1800hrs : Tea