Security Cooperation in South Asia

South Asia continues to be one of the most important crisis regions in the 21st century. It is characterized by an interlocking web of old and new security risks. There are unresolved territorial disputes such as Kashmir and the recognition of the Durand Line; the proliferation of nuclear technology; a broad range of ethnic, religious, and left-wing rebellions that have links to regional and global terrorist groups connected with organized crime; and the unpredictable repercussions of climate change, which could turn one of the poorest regions in the world into a tinderbox. In contrast to Southeast and Central Asia, there are no regional organizations for security cooperation so far. But a closer look reveals a variety of forms of security collaboration between India and its neighbors, but they have yet to be included in academic and political discussions. The present study offers an initial overview of existing forms of security cooperation in the region. Moreover, it elaborates various reasons for the collaboration and future prospects. The main starting point is that regional security has to first be provided by affected states in the region rather than by extra-regional powers.