Question

STEPS

• Divide the classroom into eight groups (as many as the number of countries). The number of students in each group may vary, reflecting the size of the countries of South Asia.
• Name each group after a country and hand over a brief country profile to respective groups. Besides the basic information, include a short note on the contentious issues/disputes among the South Asian countries. The issues could be those discussed in this chapter or an issue of relevance but not discussed in the chapter.
• Allow students to select an issue of their choice. The dispute could be bilateral or multilateral (the issue could be related to India, given the geographic peculiarity of the region).
• Assign each group to find out what initiatives the governments involved have taken and the reasons for their failures in resolving the disputes.
• Students should assume the role of representing their respective countries and share their findings.

Ideas for the Teacher

• Pair up the countries sharing the common issue/dispute. It could be two groups in the case of a bilateral issue or more in case of a multilateral issue (examples of bilateral issues include the Jammu and Kashmir dispute between India and Pakistan, the migrant problem between India and Bangladesh; multilateral issues include the creation of a free trade zone or tackling terrorism).
• Groups should negotiate on the proposals and counter-proposals within a time limit. The teacher is to take note of the outcome of the negotiations. The focus should be on the areas of agreement and disagreement.
• Link the outcome of the negotiations with the prevailing situation among the countries of South Asia. Talk about the difficulties involved in negotiating on a political issue based on the observation made. Conclude by discussing the importance of accommodating each other's interest for the sake of peaceful coexistence.

Answer 1

Model Execution Plan for Classroom Simulation

1. Group Allocation & Country Matrix

1. India (Largest Group): Focus on bilateral river treaties, cross-border security, SAFTA implementation, and maritime connectivity.
2. Pakistan: Focus on Kashmir, cross-border firing, Siachen, Sir Creek, and the Indus Waters Treaty.
3. Bangladesh: Focus on Teesta and Ganga water-sharing, border enclaves (settled in 2015), and undocumented migration.
4. Nepal: Focus on transit rights for landlocked states, 1950 Friendship Treaty revision, and Kalapani border demarcation.
5. Sri Lanka: Focus on Tamil ethnic reconciliation, Palk Bay fishing disputes, and post-civil war reconstruction.
6. Bhutan: Focus on hydropower cooperation, free trade, and cross-border insurgent sanitization.
7. Maldives: Focus on climate change mitigation, maritime surveillance, and coastal development.
8. Afghanistan (Eighth SAARC Member): Focus on regional transit trade, counter-terrorism, and humanitarian assistance.

2. Selected Simulation Scenarios

1. Bilateral Negotiation (India vs. Bangladesh on River Waters):
   • Bangladesh Proposal: Equitable year-round sharing of Teesta river waters for northern agrarian security.
   • India Counter-Proposal: Comprehensive basin-wide management linked to transit access and joint drought-relief infrastructure.

2. Multilateral Negotiation (All 8 Countries on SAFTA and Terrorism):

   • Proposals: Lowering sensitive negative lists to 0-5% tariffs, creating a unified South Asian Disaster Response Grid, and enacting a binding anti-terror intelligence treaty.
   • Stumbling Blocks: Fear among smaller economies of trade deficits with India; deep mutual distrust between India and Pakistan stalling regional consensus.
3. Key Findings & Pedagogical Learnings:
   • Why Negotiations Stall: National security paranoia, domestic voter constraints, and zero-sum diplomatic thinking frequently derail mutually beneficial economic agreements.
   • Value of Consensus: The exercise illustrates that regional integration in South Asia requires sovereign equality, non-reciprocal support from larger states, and sustained mutual accommodation.