ABSTRACT
This chapter seeks to assess the impact of the pandemic on cooperation within the region. It focuses on the region known as South Asia, consisting of the following countries: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. The chapter focuses on two aspects of regional cooperation: economic integration among the countries of the region and cooperation on addressing the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. It provides a brief history of regional cooperation efforts in South Asia. The chapter highlights the role China played in the region during the pandemic. It argues that the pandemic drove home the fragility of growth and the challenges facing economic cooperation in the region. The chapter highlights the challenges and opportunities associated with regional cooperation in South Asia in general and how these have manifested themselves in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic in particular.
