Indian Hegemonic, Real Obstacle For Regional Economic Ties Amidst COVID-19: Experts

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 2nd Jul, 2020 ) :Indian hegemonic designs have sabotaged the opportunity to enhance regional economic cooperation and integration being felt in the wake of COVID-19 by making the situation more volatile in the South Asian region, said economists.

During an online dialogue titled: 'South Asia: Regional Stability and Security amid COVID-19'organized by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) here, experts, scholars and academics said that Indian actions have made atmosphere more volatile through its aggressive actions and have put the socio-economic well being of millions of people as well as the peace and stability in the region at stake.

Highlighting the importance of broader regional and global cooperation to fight the pandemic, Air Chief Marshal (R) Kaleem Saadat, President of Centre for Aerospace and Security Studies (CASS), expressed his dismay over the situation.

He said despite UNICEF's immediate call for global ceasefire, the conflicts in Yemen, Syria and Indian occupied Kashmir remained unabated and the tension between India and China at Ladakh border has further deteriorated the situation.

"It's certainly not the time to fight but to enhance geo-strategic cooperation for the well-being of people in the region," Saadat said, adding that the pandemic is a non-traditional challenge for all the countries in the region but the Indian government is not ready to give peace a chance to flourish whereas it is heightening the tension with all of its neighbors.

Prof. Dr Guo Xuetang, Department of International Relations, Shanghai University of International business and Economics, highlighting various dimensions of the geo-political situation in South Asia, said that South Asia has become hotspot of international conflicts.

He further said that China doesn't want war and instead, its policy revolves around regional and international development.

Indian nationalism, which carries hateful and hostile sentiments against China, is dangerous for the regional peace and stability, he said and added that talks with Indian authorities for the de-escalation of tension are going on, but the attitude of Indian government is a big impediment for the peace.

Earlier, SDPI Executive Director Dr Abid Qaiyum Suleri stressed the need for regional cooperation to deal with the pandemic effectively. In the best-case scenario, he argued, the regional countries should have learnt from China how to cure and control the disease. But, unfortunately, we are observing worst case scenario where three countries of the region, i.e. China, Pakistan and Nepal, are facing the hostile maneuvers of the Indian government.

"The locust swarm and COVID-19 are two unprecedented challenges that regional countries are facing," Dr Suleri said and added that no country could respond to such massive challenges in isolation, therefore, resorting to regional cooperation is need of the hour.

Dr Sylvie Matelly, Assistant Director, Institut de Relations Internationales et Strat�giques (IRIS), France, was of view that COVID-19 has affected all the spheres of life from human health to economy and has worsened the situation of inequalities at various levels. The escalation of the localized secondary conflicts reflects the patterns that were witnessed by us during the Cold War era.

She said that the economic situation of various countries in South Asia amidst COVID-19 provides us something to be optimistic that it would push the regional economies for an enhanced cooperation.