Principal Impediments to the Effective Implementation of the South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) Introduction The South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA), signed in 2004 and operational since 2006 under the aegis of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), was envisioned as a mechanism to promote intra-regional trade, economic integration, and collective prosperity … Continue reading What are the principal impediments to the effective implementation of the South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA)? Analyze how political tensions, non-tariff barriers, intra-regional distrust, and institutional shortcomings hinder regional economic integration in South Asia.