The expression ‘South Asia’ usually includes

The term ‘South Asia’ typically refers to the core group of seven countries that founded the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) in 1985: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka [2]. While Afghanistan joined SAARC in 2007 and is now often included in broader geopolitical definitions of the region, the standard geographical and historical expression of South Asia focuses on these seven nations. China is consistently classified as part of East Asia, while Japan is also an East Asian nation. Myanmar is categorized under Southeast Asia, although it shares borders with South Asian states. Therefore, Option 1 correctly identifies the primary group of countries traditionally associated with the expression ‘South Asia’, excluding East Asian powers like China and Japan which are frequently included in the incorrect options.

Sources

1. [1] Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 16: India–Political Aspects > GEOPOLITICS OF SOUTH ASIA > p. 60
2. [2] Contemporary World Politics, Textbook in political science for Class XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 3: Contemporary South Asia > Peace and Cooperation > p. 42