India, April 4 -- The devastating earthquakes that recently struck Myanmar and Thailand have once again underscored the pressing need for a coordinated and effective disaster response mechanism in South Asia

The recent catastrophic earthquakes in Myanmar and Thailand have highlighted the urgent requirement for an effective and unified disaster response system in South Asia. Even with regional bodies like the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) in place, prompt and efficient aid to impacted nations continues to be problematic because of bureaucratic hold-ups, logistical hurdles and differing national strategies. The number...