ABSTRACT
South Asia is a most complex, volatile and politically explosive region and it remains the most enigmatic and baffling in the world. Geopolitically, South Asia is a distinctive region; Stephen Cohen classifies it as an independent geopolitical region. Despite the inherent geopolitical importance of South Asia, the United States' involvement in the region has fluctuated, depending upon its intensity and style of competition with other great powers at global level. The dimensions of superpower interests in South Asia can be defined in various categories such as political, economic and strategic, to achieve specific goals calculated to serve vital interests. The principal strategic interests of the USA in the region and maintenance of ability to keep the high seas open for navigation both for itself and its allies. The strategic significance of Afghanistan was realised by the Western powers during World War II and the US granted permission to the Afghan government to open its mission in Washington in 1943.
