Abstract

An assessment of the dynamics of demand for a regional cooperation arrangement is the key to evaluate its performance. The paper explores the dynamics of demand for South Asian regionalism by employing content analysis method. The smaller regional countries (SRCs) had taken the lead to initiate the idea of South Asian regionalism that necessitates exploring as to what motives SRCs had intended to pursue through a regional cooperation organization. An analysis of the speeches delivered by the leaders of SRCs at SAARC summits during initial years after its inception reveal that they had intended to pursue various strategic, political and economic objectives. They mainly wanted to contain India’s hegemonic policies and to preserve their separate identity, secure national independence and sovereign equality and to protect their territorial integrity. They also wanted to meet challenges to their security such as terrorism; threats from nuclear build up and arms race, and; environmental degradation and rise in the sea level. They also wanted to achieve economic independence and self–reliance, rapid industrialization and equitable distribution of gains from regional cooperation.