Foreword

Summary

Energy issues are now the foremost and central issue for all governments, peoples, businesses as well as regional associations and research institutions. The South Asian and the Southeast Asian regions have been severely impacted by high oil prices. Fuel prices that were increased recently in Indonesia and in Myanmar provoked public unrest and demonstrations, reflecting the reality that energy issues impact directly on peoples’ livelihoods. Energy supplies also directly influence the development of countries and their political stability. With so many vital consequences flowing from energy issues, it was timely for two Singapore research institutes, the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS) and the Institute of South Asian Studies (ISAS), to join forces and organize a conference entitled “Geopolitics of Energy in South Asia” on 14 August 2007.

We wish to thank Dr Marie Lall and her colleagues at ISAS for all their hard work in organizing the conference and in editing this book. We are pleased that ISEAS Publications was given the opportunity to publish this book under the ISEAS Energy Series. Mr Mark Hong, Energy Programme Coordinator for ISEAS, also contributed his fair share of effort.

We look forward to more cooperation between ISEAS and ISAS, not only on energy issues, but also on attendant environmental and climate change issues, and other issues as well.