Who Benefits from Wars? The Hidden Economics of Conflict in South Asia

In South Asia, where every dollar is needed for schools, hospitals and jobs, billions still flow into fighter jets, missiles and military hardware. I recently worked on a research paper titled “Who Benefits from Wars? The Hidden Economics of Conflict in South Asia.” While families in Afghanistan, Myanmar, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and India struggle with poverty, a very different story unfolds on the balance sheets of arms corporations like Lockheed Martin, RTX and others.The paradox is painful: the poor pay the price of wars, while distant boardrooms reap the profit. But what if South Asia chose cooperation over confrontation?A peace dividend could free more than $50 billion annually — enough to transform education, healthcare and infrastructure for 1.8 billion people. The choice is stark. Arms or prosperity.The future depends on which path leaders and citizens push for. #Geopolitics #SouthAsia #PeaceDividend #Proleaders #LeadershipFirst