Highlights the remarkable development progress in South Asia, especially the decline in extreme poverty, and how the region can advance in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact of the war in Ukraine. Steps include a renewed push toward greater trade and financial openness, while responding proactively to the distributional impact and dislocation associated with this structural transformation. Promoting a green and digital recovery remains important.

The book explores ways to accelerate the income convergence process in the region, leveraging on the still-large potential demographic dividend in most of the countries. These include greater economic diversification and export sophistication, trade and foreign direct investment liberalisation and participation in global value chains amid shifting regional and global conditions, financial development, and investment in human capital.