SOUTH ASIA IN 2007: A REVIEW

This article provides a comprehensive review of the key political, economic, and security developments across the South Asian region during the year 2007. It offers a country-by-country analysis, covering major events such as the ongoing political transition in Nepal, the state of emergency in Pakistan, and the continuing peace process and conflict in Sri Lanka. The study also assesses the major regional trends, including the performance of SAARC and the evolving dynamics of the India-Pakistan relationship. The research highlights both the areas of progress and the persistent challenges that defined the year for the region. The paper concludes by offering a summary assessment of the state of South Asia at the end of 2007 and the outlook for the coming year.

The year 2007 was a tumultuous and consequential one for South Asia. This paper provides a wide-ranging review of the major developments that shaped the region during this twelve-month period. The analysis is structured on a country-by-country basis. For Pakistan, the review focuses on the intense political crisis that engulfed the Musharraf regime, culminating in the imposition of a state of emergency and the assassination of Benazir Bhutto. For Nepal, it charts the difficult and often-fraught progress of the post-conflict peace process and the preparations for the crucial Constituent Assembly elections. For Sri Lanka, it details the breakdown of the ceasefire and the return to a full-scale, brutal civil war. For Bangladesh, it analyzes the political context of the military-backed caretaker government. The second part of the paper takes a regional perspective. It assesses the state of the India-Pakistan relationship and the progress, or lack thereof, in the composite dialogue process. It also reviews the major initiatives and meetings under the SAARC framework during the year. The findings paint a picture of a region in profound flux, grappling with complex democratic transitions, persistent internal conflicts, and the enduring challenge of inter-state rivalry. The paper concludes that 2007 was a year that vividly illustrated both the immense potential and the deep-seated problems of the South Asian region.