On the brink of conflict: the people of South Asia deserve better

Nearly two decades ago, coinciding with overt nuclear tests conducted by Pakistan and India, we highlighted in The BMJ the huge risks of beginning a nuclear race in the subcontinent1 and its massive costs.2 Today, South Asia is once again at the brink of conflict, with massive deployment of armies on the borders between Pakistan and India. Insurgency and unrest affect major regions in Kashmir, Baluchistan, Assam, and the tribal and Maoist controlled areas in both India and Pakistan.3 Afghanistan has seen incessant conflict and suffering since the Soviet invasion in 1979. Nepal has emerged from decades of a debilitating Maoist insurgency, and Sri Lanka has just begun rebuilding the north after years of war and devastation.

Terrorism, which had been relatively rare, is now a daily threat affecting the lives and livelihoods of millions in South Asian states. Conflict, civic unrest, and insurgency have cost the region dearly. Despite continued economic growth and development, South Asia remains one of the poorest and most unequal regions of the world. Alarmingly, poor social …