South Asia, home to 22 per cent of the global population, consumes only 4 per cent of the total commercial energy produced in the world. Although significant prog ress has been made during the last five decades in increasing energy supply, lack of access to low-cost, clean and reliable sources of energy is still prevalent in South Asia. This has implications for economic development and poverty alleviation efforts. This article reviews the energy market in South Asia taking into account resources, demand conditions, market reforms and potential for regional coopera tion. It argues that regional cooperation can play a limited catalytic role in bringing diverse partners together and creating an environment suitable for negotiations, but it is not a sufficient condition for the optimal utilization of regional energy resources. A necessary precondition is market reforms in individual countries.
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