South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation: Challenges and Prospects

Abstract

The main theme behind the efforts for Regional Integration of South Asia under the
banner of SAARC was to extend mutual cooperation, eradicate poverty, economic
interdependence, social exchange, Preferential Trading Arrangements (PTA’s) and Free
Trade Arrangements (FTA’s). Though these goals are achieved in theory but in practice
nothing promising is done. Since its formation till date, the organization has been
failing to achieve the promised goals of regional integration. This study presents a
theoretical analysis of the performance of the organization and finds out that the
organization needs more and more attention on practice than theory. The research
effort mainly focused on the challenges faced by the organization and its future
prospects.