Abstract The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) was established in 1985 to promote regional cooperation, economic growth, and social development among the countries of South Asia. This paper examines the opportunities and challenges associated with SAARC in the context of regional integration and collective progress. The study highlights the importance of cooperation in sectors such as trade, energy, agriculture, connectivity, technology, and health, which are considered essential for sustainable regional development. It further explores socio-cultural ties, people-to-people connectivity, and the growing need for collaborative responses to issues such as poverty, climate change, unemployment, food insecurity, and environmental degradation. Despite its significant potential, SAARC continues to face major obstacles including political instability, interstate rivalry, limited intra-regional trade, and institutional weaknesses. The paper also discusses strategies for strengthening regional integration through governance reforms, policy coordination, and innovation-driven development. The analysis concludes that while SAARC has not fully realized its founding vision, it still possesses immense potential to transform South Asia into a more integrated, resilient, and prosperous region through mutual trust, cooperation, and sustainable development initiatives.
Vishnukant A. Baswade (Mon,) studied this question.