ISAS South Asia Discussion Papers

South Asia faces a new generation of ‘defining challenges’ shaped by intensifying global geopolitical fragmentation, deepening United States-China rivalry and shifting trade and industrial policies, all while contending with persistent domestic issues such as uneven development, political instability and rising climate vulnerability. As global supply chains reorganise and major powers reassess the merits of globalisation, the South Asian states struggle to secure market access, protect livelihoods and craft policy responses that align external pressures with internal priorities.

Climate change – already manifesting through extreme weather events, resource loss and livelihood disruptions – emerges as the most urgent and consequential challenge, exacerbated by inadequate financing and limited institutional capacity.

This South Asian Discussion Papers series focuses on the discussions and analyses presented at the 2024 ISAS International Conference on South Asia. The discussions and analyses underscore that navigating this complex convergence of global rivalry, structural domestic deficits and mounting climate crises will define South Asia’s policy trajectory in the coming decade.