Towards Regional Integration in South Asia: Promoting Trade Facilitation and Connectivity

This compendium focuses on some of the most pressing issues that are critically important to advancing the cause of South Asian economic integration. Whilst in recent years SAARC policymakers have taken important decisions to enhance market access, promote trade facilitation and deepen transport linkages in the region, formidable challenges continue to undermine the possibilities of realising the full potentials of such initiatives.  In this backdrop, the chapters in the volume, which are based on research carried out at the CPD, have come up with a number of concrete proposals to address some of these major challenges. These proposals are drawn on evidence and knowledge generated through analysis of data, field-level investigations, wide-ranging consultations and perception surveys. The volume articulates the elements of a framework SPS Agreement to deal with non-tariff barriers to trade with India, identifies border measures and infrastructure that need to be put in place to reduce trade transaction costs, and spells out how the recently signed sub-regional Motor Vehicle Agreement (MVA) could be implemented by drawing on insights and experiences of global best practices.

It is hoped that experts and policymakers will find the volume useful as will the broader audience who has an interest in issues concerning broadening and deepening of economic cooperation in South Asia at bilateral, sub-regional and regional levels.

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