Prospects of Economic Cooperation and Conflict Resolution: A Case Study of Iran, India, and Pakistan

Abstract

South Asia and the Middle East have been flashpoints of political turmoil for the last few decades. India and Pakistan in South Asia and Iran in the Middle East have particularly been troubled places. India and Pakistan are quickly growing countries, and their antagonistic relations diverted them from paying attention to the needs of their people. Declining living standards have ultimately exerted pressure to sustain the progress of their economies. Iran has large oil and gas reservoirs and can fulfil the energy needs of energy-starved Pakistan and India for centuries. The current time demands that these countries pay special attention to their economic linkages and energy cooperation, or else there is a danger of unstoppable anarchy. This research is conducted to evaluate the prospects of economic cooperation and conflict resolution in the region and assess if the cooperation can further push the region to economic interdependence and regional integration. This research was based on primary and secondary data, following theories of Complex Interdependence. The study research included interviews of 46 key informants, including bureaucrats, politicians, academics, and activists from the US, Pakistan, Iran, India, and Australia. A careful analysis of the informants’ views was made using Nvivo software. Based on the data collection and analysis, it is concluded that for a sustained economic cooperation, India and Pakistan should focus on cooperation, and they both can use Iran’s energy resources to achieve goals of conflict resolution and economic cooperation.