SAARC: The Changing Dimensions

The South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC) was established in 1985. During these twenty three years, SAARC has prepared a robust intellectual base for regional cooperation and spread awareness amongst more than a billion people of South Asia about the value of regional cooperation. The report of the Eminent Persons Group and the SAARC Social Charter clearly reflect the priorities and needs of SAARC. However, SAARC has remained tardy in executing the promise of development and affecting the lives of ordinary people in the region so far. It has concluded a regional free trade agreement (SAFTA) but its full implementation is still facing difficulties. In recent years there have been important developments both around and within the region that raises hope of a faster and effective role of SAARC. Internationally, regionalism has come to be widely accepted as a principal framework for economic growth through cooperative engagement, particularly in the context of spreading globalisation. With in South Asia, five important developments deserve to be taken not of with respect to SAARC’s future. To begin with all the South Asian countries are witnessing impressive growth. The global financial melt down will dent this growth but only to some extent. Secondly, the South Asian region is witnessing a democratisation surge, which will strengthen developmental politics and stimulate cooperative drive. One of the most important developments has been the softening of Indo-Pak relations with accent on opening trade, commercial and people to people contacts. One hopes that growing economic engagement between these traditionally hostile neighbours, will lead to greater mutual confidence and understanding between them. An improved Indo-Pak relationship will surely advance SAARC. Fourth, SAARC has expanded adding Afghanistan as a full member and nine other countries as observers. Among the Observers are countries like China, US, Iran and Japan. The presence of such observers will stimulate competition and economic dynamism. And lastly, there is a radical change in India’s approach to SAARC. From a reluctant participant, it is gradually emerging as an active leader. The paper analyses these developments and it concludes that these developments will positively help in making SAARC more effective and purposeful.