New Delhi, June 21 -- As India and Pakistan once again teetered on the brink of an open conflict, the familiar tremors of war ripple through the region, stalling any hope for unity in South Asia. For many decades, the subcontinent remains a battleground for military clashes, political agendas, fractured identities, and delaying regional cooperation. Despite sharing deep-rooted historical, cultural, and civilizational legacies, South Asian nations have struggled to establish a cohesive regional identity.

This failure of regionalism-exemplified by the stagnation of organizations like the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)-requires a radical rethink. Perhaps the key lies not in diplomatic boardrooms, but in geography i...