Why Peace in South Asia Is No Longer a Choice, but a Necessity

A Peaceful Subcontinent: The Keystone for a Peaceful World

By Tajjamul Aly:

The Indian subcontinent—comprising India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Maldives, and Afghanistan is home to nearly 1.9 billion people, about one-fourth of humanity. This vast region, rich in diversity, bound by history, and burdened by political fault lines, is not just a geopolitical zone; it is a global pressure point. Peace here is no longer a regional luxury, it is a global necessity.

From Partition to Present: A Long Shadow

Since the partition of 1947, South Asia has been haunted by unfinished histories and unhealed wounds. Chief among them is the India-Pakistan rivalry, which has resulted in three wars, repeated skirmishes, and chronic mistrust. The Kashmir issue remains a permanent flashpoint.

In April 2025, this mistrust deepened tragically. A barbaric terrorist attack in Pahalgam targeted Indian tourists—civilians, families, and children sending shockwaves across the nation. India blamed Pakistan-based extremist groups for orchestrating the assault. Diplomatic ties, already fragile, began unraveling.

Escalation: From Diplomacy to Deadlock

The aftermath of the Pahalgam attack has brought the region to a dangerous edge. India suspended engagement under the Indus Waters Treaty, a historic agreement that had withstood even the harshest wars. In retaliation, Pakistan issued a stern warning, stating that any interruption in water flow would be considered an “act of war.” India and Pakistan have suspended airspace access for each other, deepening the diplomatic freeze following the Pahalgam terror attack.

 Backchannel diplomacy stalled.

The region, home to two nuclear-armed states, now stands at the brink of a potential catastrophe. The consequences of even a limited war here would ripple far beyond the Himalayas, destabilizing global markets, migration, and security.

As former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan once said, “You cannot have development without peace, and you cannot have peace without development.” In South Asia, this balance has never been more precarious.

Economic and Strategic Stakes

A peaceful subcontinent would unlock untold economic potential. South Asia is the least integrated region in the world, with intra-regional trade below 5%. According to the World Bank, India-Pakistan trade alone could reach $37 billion annually, yet it remains frozen due to politics.

Peace could transform SAARC from a dormant acronym to a thriving community. Like France and Germany post-World War II, India and Pakistan could lead a new chapter of regional economic cooperation, if vision replaces vendetta.

Human Cost and Climate Catastrophe

The poor of South Asia are trapped in a crossfire they never signed up for. The costs of conflict are measured not just in lives lost but in education denied, healthcare underfunded, and infrastructure unbuilt. Every bullet fired is a meal missed for someone.

Meanwhile, climate change is a shared enemy. Melting glaciers in the Himalayas threaten all river systems. The 2022 floods in Pakistan affected 33 million people; India faces recurring heatwaves, droughts, and cyclones. Peace is a precondition for shared climate resilience.

Hope, Restraint, and Justice

Despite rising tensions, war is not destiny. It is a choice. Both nations must show maturity, restraint, and a long-term vision.

At the same time, true peace cannot mean impunity. Those who perpetrated the Pahalgam attack must be held accountable, whether they operate across the border or within it. Terrorism has no religion, no nationality, no excuse. South Asia must build joint mechanisms to isolate and punish the real enemies of peace, not allow them to hijack the future of 1.9 billion people.

The Way Forward

1. Reopen Dialogue Channels: Even informal backchannels can prevent miscalculation. A neutral third party may help reinitiate confidence-building talks.

2. Revive SAARC and BBIN: Sub-regional cooperation must continue even if bilateral ties stall. Economic cooperation is often the first step toward political peace.

3. Water Diplomacy: The Indus Waters Treaty must not be weaponized. A special regional water commission, with climate scientists, could modernize the treaty framework.

4. Civic Exchanges: People-to-people contact—through art, academia, and sport—should be insulated from political disruption. Hatred thrives where human contact dies.

5. Regional Anti-Terror Mechanism: Like the ASEAN Regional Forum, South Asia must create a joint platform to combat terrorism, extremism, and hate speech.

Conclusion

South Asia stands at a crossroads. One road leads to cooperation, prosperity, and global respect. The other leads to destruction of lives, economies, and futures.

If we are wise, we will choose peace, not as a slogan but as a strategic necessity, a moral responsibility, and a civilizational calling. As former Indian PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee once said, “You can change friends, not neighbours.”

Let us hope that wisdom prevails—and the real enemies of peace face justice, not applause.

Because if South Asia burns, the world will not remain untouched. But if it rises, it will rise together and lift the world with it.