1. What is South Asia?

What is South Asia?

• South Asia includes:
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1. Bangladesh
2. Bhutan
3. India
4.  Pakistan
5.  Maldives
6.  Nepal
7. Sri Lanka

• There is linguistic, social and cultural distinctiveness among the countries.
• The boundaries of countries are not clear.
• Afghanistan and Myanmar are often included discussion of the region as a whole.
• China is an important player but not included in this region.
• Political System in South Asia
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1. Sri Lanka and India have democratic system and have remained democratic since independence, despite of many conflict and various problems faced.
2. Pakistan and Bangladesh have both experienced civilian and military rulers.
3. Pakistan: it began democratic rule in post-Cold War period, under Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif. It suffered a military coup in 1999 and thereafter run by and civilian government again since 2008
4. Bangladesh remained democratic in the post-Cold War period and thereafter followed it.
5. Nepal was a constitutional monarchy, but after 2008 monarchy was abolished and Nepal became a democratic republic.
6. Bhutan became constitutional monarchy in 2008, under the leadership of the king it has now emerged as a multiparty democracy.
7. Maldives, was Sultanate till 1968 later transformed into republic with a presidential form of government.

• In June 2005, Maldives voted for multi-party system.
• The Maldivian Democratic Party dominates the political affairs.
• After 2005, democracy purely established and opposition party also emerged. The MDP won the 2018 elections.
   
• All the countries wanted to be in democracy and believed in global expansion of democracy.
• All the people view the idea of democracy positively and support institution of representative democracy.