The program will promote the larger and faster growing economies in the region to become “champions” of development in the smaller and slower growing economies. The small and land locked countries have most to gain from having access to the rapidly growing Indian market.
2. The regional program will promote cooperation and integration not only within the region, but also with other regions, and strengthen global partnerships. Increased trade, cross-border investments, ideas and technology between regions will be mutually beneficial. A particular focus will be on liberalizing the trade regime for the exports of goods from Africa to South Asia, particularly for agricultural exports.
3. The program will deepen the trade links between South Asia and East Asia. But the broader links between South Asia and East Asia and their institutions--SAARC and ASEAN-have not kept up with the pace of growth and trade between the two regions.
4. The program will support the economic and political relationships between South Asia, Middle East and Central Asia, which have expanded rapidly in the recent years. Remittances are the largest foreign exchange earner for South Asia, amounting to nearly $25 billion, more than foreign direct investment inflows into South Asia. A large part of the remittances comes from the Middle East region. The rise in global insecurity, after the September 2001 terrorist events, has created a potential role for South Asia to become a force of moderation and stability, regionally and globally. South Asia's links with Central Asia has increased because of increased energy demand in the region.
5. The regional program will focus on activities that benefit the poor directly. Nearly half a billion poor people live in South Asia. Regional disparities within South Asian countries have become a major concern to the policy makers in South Asia. It is a threat to the region's growth and stability.
6. South Asia is a region of ongoing conflict with more than 70 million people displaced internally. The regional program will continue to promote the cross-country “dialogue” within the region. The program will promote better understanding, networking, and consensus building at a regional level between the policy makers, private sector, academics, and the civil society.
Finally, the regional program aims to promote development at two levels: “regional” and “sub-regional”. The focus of the regional development will be on the low hanging fruits. It is likely that increased sub-regional trade between northeastern India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal will move at a faster rate compared to trade between India and Pakistan. It is likely that India and Nepal can make faster progress on cross-border water management and flood controls compared to the progress on water cooperation between India and Bangladesh.
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