Humankind today is facing perhaps the biggest crisis of this generation. However, as witnessed in times past, crises have often led to greater cooperation at both the regional and global levels. The ongoing Coronavirus crisis has provided an opportunity to put aside traditional concerns and take joint action. In South Asia, the pandemic has pushed SAARC nations to act together. Leaders of member states held a virtual conference on 15 March 2020 to discuss measures to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the region. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi initiated the conference, calling upon all SAARC leaders to work collectively to fight the pandemic. Many see this move as a masterstroke to assert India’s leadership in South Asia. The video conference played an important role in reactivating SAARC, which had been non-functional since the 2016 attacks in India by Pakistan based terrorists.
