Revival of SAARC

The revival of SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) has been a subject of renewed interest given the changing geopolitical dynamics in South Asia. Read here to learn more.

SAARC, founded in 1985, includes Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, and was created to promote regional cooperation and development.

However, its progress has been hampered by political tensions, particularly between India and Pakistan, and its functionality has diminished in recent years.

The last SAARC biennial summit was hosted by Nepal in 2014. The 2016 summit (to be hosted by Pakistan) was stalled following the terror attack in Pulwama.

Why did SAARC fail?

Some key reasons for its failure include:

Pakistan’s Fixation on Bilateral Issues:

• Pakistan’s fixation on contentious issues, particularly its focus on Kashmir, has obstructed regional cooperation. It has often used the SAARC platform to push its agenda on bilateral disputes with India, which are meant to be excluded from SAARC’s deliberations.
• Pakistan’s support for state-sponsored terrorism, especially against India, and its collaboration with China on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), ignoring India’s territorial sovereignty, have created additional tensions, hindering progress.

India’s Perceived Hegemony (Big Brother Perception):

• Several smaller member states of SAARC fear India’s dominant political and economic influence within the organization. Countries like Nepal and Sri Lanka have voiced concerns over India’s perceived interference in their internal matters, creating friction and mistrust.
• This perception has made it difficult to achieve meaningful cooperation, as countries are reluctant to align with India’s leadership role.

Structural and Institutional Issues:

• Exclusion of Bilateral and Contentious Issues: SAARC’s charter explicitly excludes bilateral conflicts from being discussed, making it difficult to address key political tensions among member states. This has created a vacuum in conflict resolution mechanisms.
• Unanimous Decision-Making Process: All decisions in SAARC require unanimity, making it difficult to reach a consensus on important issues. Even a single member state can block or delay decisions, stalling progress on regional cooperation initiatives.

Pakistan’s Obstructionist Role:

• Pakistan has repeatedly blocked India’s initiatives within SAARC, particularly in areas such as counterterrorism and trade liberalization. Pakistan’s resistance to granting India greater access to Afghanistan via SAARC corridors has also limited the potential of economic cooperation.

External Influence and Diverging Interests:

• The geopolitical dynamics, especially the influence of external powers like China and the U.S., have exacerbated divisions within SAARC. While countries like Pakistan and Sri Lanka lean towards China, others like India and Bangladesh have closer ties with the West. These diverging interests weaken regional unity.

Competing Regional Groupings:

• The emergence of alternative regional forums such as BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) has reduced the relevance of SAARC. India, in particular, has shifted its focus to BIMSTEC, which excludes Pakistan and offers more opportunities for regional cooperation.

These challenges and a lack of shared vision among member states have severely hindered SAARC’s effectiveness as a regional organization.

Revival of SAARC

• Geopolitical Tensions: India-Pakistan hostilities have significantly undermined SAARC’s ability to function effectively. However, calls for the organization’s revival focus on de-linking political tensions from economic cooperation, much like other regional organizations such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
• COVID-19 Pandemic: The pandemic highlighted the need for regional cooperation, especially in healthcare. In March 2020, India led a virtual SAARC meeting to discuss a joint COVID-19 response, which marked a potential turning point for reviving multilateral dialogue under the SAARC framework.
• Shifting Global Alliances: With China’s increasing influence in South Asia, notably through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), India and other South Asian nations may see SAARC as an avenue to balance this influence. Additionally, as global powers refocus on Indo-Pacific strategies, South Asia’s geopolitical importance could provide a renewed impetus for regional cooperation.
• Economic Cooperation: Reviving SAARC could benefit regional trade, which has remained limited despite the formation of the South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) agreement. A functional SAARC could boost intra-regional trade and investment, especially in sectors like energy, infrastructure, and technology.

Challenges to the Revival of SAARC

• Bilateral Conflicts: India and Pakistan’s unresolved issues, including Kashmir, continue to be the primary obstacles. Bilateral conflicts have consistently prevented the group from holding effective summits and have led to a lack of collective decision-making.
• Alternatives to SAARC: India has increasingly shifted its focus towards sub-regional groupings like the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) and the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), which exclude Pakistan. These platforms are seen as more viable alternatives for India to pursue its regional goals.
• Limited Economic Integration: Despite geographical proximity, South Asian countries have one of the lowest levels of regional economic integration in the world. The revival of SAARC would require significant policy changes and infrastructure development to improve trade connectivity.
• Divergent Political Systems: SAARC member states have varying political systems and governance challenges, which hinder a unified approach to regional cooperation. Internal instability in countries like Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka further complicates multilateral efforts.

Possible Pathways for Revival of SAARC

• Issue-Based Cooperation: Focusing on areas like disaster management, climate change, healthcare, and cultural exchange could provide non-political grounds for SAARC to function, sidestepping contentious issues.
• Technological and Digital Integration: Given the growth of digital economies in the region, cooperation in digital infrastructure, fintech, and cybersecurity can be areas of mutual benefit.
• Leveraging Smaller States: Smaller SAARC members like Bhutan, Nepal, and Maldives have historically advocated for the organization’s continuation. These nations could play a mediating role in reviving the platform, pushing for regional cooperation in areas that are less politically sensitive.
• Global Support: External powers such as the United States, Japan, and the European Union may support SAARC’s revival as part of their broader South Asia strategies. International support could catalyze funding for regional projects, especially in sectors like infrastructure and energy.

Conclusion

The revival of SAARC remains uncertain due to political conflicts and competing regional frameworks.

However, a renewed emphasis on economic and social cooperation could offer a path forward. Multilateral initiatives that bypass bilateral disputes could pave the way for SAARC’s rejuvenation, fostering greater economic integration and regional stability.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q. Where is the headquarters of SAARC?

Ans: The headquarters are in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Q. When did India join SAARC?

Ans: 8 December 1985-The SAARC was set up when its Charter was formally adopted on 8 December 1985 by the Heads of State or Governments of India, Bangladesh, Maldives, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan.

Related articles:

• India’s bilateral issues with SAARC countries
• Bilateral regional global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests

-Article by Swathi Satish