Abstract

This research article explores the opportunities for cooperation in South Asia beyond security relations. Owing to a lack of research on cultural cooperation, this article attempts to present an alternative perspective that searches for opportunities in a sensitive region. The article further highlights that cooperation in these spheres would lead to the collective development of the region - especially concerning the Human Development Index (HDI), where the region severely lags. Along with the opportunities, the main challenges to cooperation are also highlighted. The article provides recommendations on how each South Asian state (four out of eight covered here) can offer unique capabilities to the region. The research finds that non-state actors and people-to-people relations in terms of the perception of citizens about other states is critical to cultural and educational cooperation. However, the study is limited due to the need for primary sources and needs proper verification to generalize the results.

Keywords: South Asia, people-to-people relations, non-state actors, cultural cooperation, educational cooperation

Introduction

With about one-quarter of the world’s population, South Asia is the world’s most populous and the most densely populated region. However, when it comes to literacy and education, the region often fares poorly. In addition, South Asia has no unique identity based on a common culture- despite consisting of postcolonial states with similar cultural patterns[1]  (Singh, 2019). This is primarily because these states want to see themselves as a distinct entity, often from India, which is usually perceived as the regional hegemon.

This has led to political mistrust among these nations, especially between India and Pakistan. Their rivalry has been a significant roadblock to cooperation in SAARC[2]  (Majid, 2017). Security relations and border disputes have been prioritized in the region, thereby neglecting the role of soft power in regional integration.

Why Education and Culture?

The timing for such cooperation is significant, given the increasingly hostile security environment in the region. This can be seen by the takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban, rising terrorism in Pakistan, and the economic crisis severely impacting the human security scenario in Sri Lanka. It is high time member states diversify their relations to resolve the pressing problems of climate change, energy crisis, and poverty.

Educational and cultural cooperation can be the key to resolving such problems and creating goodwill in South Asia. Member states can leverage their deep economic and cultural ties from a shared colonial past. This is especially important as education, and employment are now a part of the national discourse in most states of the region. Such efforts can be seen in India (National Education Policy: NEP), Bangladesh (competency-based schooling), Sri Lanka (General Education Sector Development Plan), Bhutan (NEP based on principles of Gross National Happiness), and Nepal (NEP with focus on improving the productivity of technical human resources).

Regional cooperation in education can drastically contribute to the socioeconomic development of individual nation-states by reaping the demographic dividend that most states are experiencing. Education has been one of the primary goals of SAARC since the beginning, and the commitment was reiterated during ‘The New Delhi Declaration on Education’ adopted in 2014. The education ministers of eight SAARC states vowed to improve the quality of education in their states by leveraging the use of information technology. However, there needs to be more implementation of these commitments by all the states, though in varying degrees.

In addition, the South Asian University was established in 2010 in order to create a world-class institution by pooling resources from all member states. However, the university has failed to reach its potential due to issues in the top management, which is not isolated from politics among the SAARC states. The recent student protests, led by  Apoorva Y.K. in the university over visa issues and low stipend are testimony to the fact that SAARC University is a far cry from its vision.

The member states must overcome these hurdles and move forward towards providing universal quality education to all children, particularly the girl child (SDGs 4 and 5). Recently, efforts have been made to boost vocational education in these states. Collaboration is the only way forward to achieve these goals rapidly, and can potentially resolve the pressing issue of unemployment in South Asia.

India has been at the forefront of providing excellent educational opportunities to South Asian students. Training is also offered to white-collar workers and diplomats from other SAARC states. In medicine and engineering, India has provided scholarships to students from other SAARC states- particularly Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Nepal. Though India remains a favoured spot for these students, it faces tough competition from China, Singapore, and Australia, which have emerged as new study-abroad destinations for them.

Impact on India-Pakistan Ties

Cooperation in the field of education can be a major boost for India-Pakistan ties. Youth from both nations can engage in educational events and cross-border conferences. Apart from the intellectual exchanges, this would help people from both sides know about each other’s culture and take pride in our shared past and struggle against colonialism. As both nations have young populations, their perceptions about the other side will go a long way in developing fruitful people-to-people relations. 

For cultural cooperation, the entertainment industry of SAARC states, particularly Bollywood, has been quite influential in the region. This is reinforced when actors travel to different states within the region, especially in the case of Pakistani actors appearing in Indian films and vice versa. 

Another area where the two states can cooperate in sports diplomacy is characterized by the culture of playing cricket in both nations. Although governments in India and Pakistan can use sports to start normalizing relations, cricket, for one, has often intensified people-to-people rivalry. Studies have even found that children watching India-Pakistan matches and political news on TV with their families imbibe negative attitudes about the other side (Vats, 2015).

 

 

SAARC and Cultural Cooperation

Coming to culture as a tool of regional soft power, the SAARC Cultural Centre, is an excellent platform for building people-to-people ties, as it is involved in various cultural and networking events. The Foundation of SAARC Writers and Literature (FOSWAL) is another institution for building bridges.

“The mad dreamers of the SAARC region. Let governments do their political and diplomatic work. Let us, the writers and the creative fraternity of the region, endeavor to create bridges of friendship across borders and beyond borders.”

    - FOSWAL resolution 2000

Hence, the pen can be mightier than the sword in binding the SAARC nations together. Initiatives like Aman ki Asha (Hope for Peace) and Maitree Bandhan (A Bond of Friendship) by media houses and other non-state actors must be encouraged.

Challenges to Cooperation

However, the problem is that SAARC member states have yet to take many initiatives in promoting such activities. SAARC is a top-down, inter-foreign ministry enterprise whose goals and agenda are necessarily limited because the organization represents the individual capital establishments and bureaucracies (Dixit, 2013).

In addition, while India dominates the soft power sphere in South Asia due to strong cultural linkages, it is also seen as a regional hegemon here- wanting to impose its will in the name of civilizational heritage. The dispute between India and Nepal over the birthplace of Buddha is testimony to this fact.

The Pakistani state has little to offer with respect to soft power to the people of the region. It has been unable to move beyond its realist politics of portraying India as an existential threat and funding terrorist and extremist activities in the region aimed against India. The people-to-people connect between Pakistan and the rest of the region will not bear fruit until serious efforts in eliminating state-sponsored terrorism are considered by Islamabad (Masood, 2018).

Utilization of Unique Capabilities

However, keeping the challenges apart, most SAARC nations can promote a particular skill training area depending on its strengths. Member states can learn from Indian soft power strategies to enhance regional relationships. For instance, Sri Lanka can be the regional leader in promoting the tourism industry, which is fast-growing and creating more job opportunities for the youth.

With one of the most outspoken and free media, Nepal could conduct regional workshops on press freedom and community radio for South Asian journalists as well as radio broadcasters. Nepal has the highest press freedom score in the region, and is the only South Asian country without community radio restrictions (Vij, 2015). Hence, such a culture of community-based free media can be promoted throughout the region. 

Bangladesh has led the research of genetically modified (GM) crops. It can share its studies on the long-term effects of GM crops to help SAARC countries recognize its benefits and utilise them to resolve their food security and production issues.

Way Forward

Another major factor that needs consideration is the rising influence of Chinese soft power in the region. In response, India should apply its soft power not to compete with China but as a means to promote greater regional harmony. In this way, it can win the trust of its neighbours and effectively counter Chinese influence.

Standard regional policies about culture and education can be developed, serving as the starting point for diffusing tensions and fostering long-term cooperation. People of the region should be encouraged to work together in coordinating such policies. However, this is easier said than done, given the geographical and cultural diversity of the region.

In addition, regional political dynamics, particularly the lack of political will is a major impediment in promoting a constructive dialogue for peace and development among individual nation-states.

Nevertheless, this challenge should be seen as an opportunity to leverage by promoting ‘unity in diversity’ by portraying the region as one of the most plural and inclusive in the world. Commonalities based on shared civilizational ties can be traced, forming the basis for NGOs and governments of the SAARC states to collaborate for regional development.

South Asian states must capitalize on the existing cultural connections and their geographical proximity to cement institutions built on the same foundations. Thus, helping revive SAARC, and pushing the dysfunctional organization to realize its full potential. This can then spill over into economic cooperation. We must transcend the notion that regional integration is impeded by the multitude of domestic issues within the region.

“It is not states or countries that emerge, it is regions that emerge.”

-Hina Rabbani Khair (Former Foreign Minister of Pakistan)

 

 

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