Can a regional approach help South Asia battle coronavirus?

Gardeners working in Mumbai on March 19, 2020. Steadily growing numbers of coronavirus infections in some South Asian countries have put existing health infrastructure under strain. PHOTO: AFP
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NEW DELHI - The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), an Asean-like grouping comprising nations in South Asia, has never really taken off, largely due to the animosity between its largest members, India and Pakistan.

There hasn't even been a summit meeting between all of the bloc's leaders since 2014, leaving the regional grouping effectively in cold storage.

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