Priyanka Saurabh:
As a founding member of SAARC, India has consistently championed regional cooperation, driving initiatives in economic collaboration, connectivity, and development. However, despite these efforts, SAARC has struggled to realize its potential. Limited progress, particularly in areas of trade and security, has highlighted the need for reform to enhance the organization’s effectiveness.
One of SAARC’s core challenges is low economic integration. Despite the South Asian Free Trade Area Agreement (SAFTA), intra-SAARC trade remains below 5%, indicating poor regional economic connectivity. Comparatively, India’s trade with ASEAN far exceeds its trade within SAARC, underscoring the limited success in fostering strong economic ties in South Asia. Additionally, political differences, especially between India and Pakistan, have hindered high-level interactions and stalled key decisions. For instance, the 2016 SAARC summit was postponed indefinitely due to rising tensions, signaling a major setback for the organization’s cohesion.
SAARC’s decision-making structure, which requires consensus among all members, often stalls progress, as member states frequently disagree on critical initiatives. Pakistan’s objections, for instance, have prevented the implementation of the SAARC Motor Vehicles Agreement, halting efforts toward regional connectivity. Similarly, India’s 2016 boycott of the SAARC summit following the Uri attack marked another breakdown in cooperation. Moreover, the significant economic disparity within SAARC—India’s GDP is approximately eight times that of Pakistan—has created imbalances in trade and complicated efforts to achieve equitable economic cooperation.
Furthermore, dependence on external powers such as China has weakened SAARC’s unity. Countries like Nepal and Sri Lanka increasingly rely on Chinese infrastructure investments, impacting the coherence of SAARC’s collective strategy. Unlike organizations like the European Union, SAARC lacks a robust supranational body to enforce decisions, limiting its ability to implement regional policies effectively.
In addressing these issues, India can take proactive steps to strengthen SAARC’s foundation. First, India can focus on bolstering bilateral ties with individual SAARC members, fostering trust and setting a foundation for broader regional cooperation. Recent efforts with Bangladesh in connectivity and trade illustrate how successful bilateral cooperation can be, despite the limitations of SAARC as a whole. India can also advocate for a reform in SAARC’s decision-making process, pushing for majority-based rather than consensus-based resolutions to avoid deadlock. Adopting a model similar to BIMSTEC, which allows for greater flexibility in agreements, could serve as a valuable reform for SAARC.
To promote deeper economic integration, India can prioritize initiatives such as trade facilitation, regional connectivity, and investment within SAARC’s framework. Projects like the BBIN (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal) initiative on transport connectivity demonstrate how sub-regional cooperation can bypass obstacles posed by Pakistan’s reluctance, setting an example for what SAARC could achieve with greater flexibility. Infrastructure projects like the India-Nepal rail link are further examples of India’s commitment to enhancing regional connectivity, even as SAARC’s initiatives lag.
India’s role in strengthening cultural diplomacy, educational exchanges, and tourism also has immense potential for unifying SAARC countries on a social and cultural level. Initiatives such as SAARC scholarships for students from member nations have fostered academic and cultural ties, bridging divides and fostering mutual understanding.
Ultimately, despite SAARC’s current challenges, India’s central role in the organization remains vital. Through a combination of bilateral engagement, strategic regional integration, and structural reforms, India can help revitalize SAARC, unlocking its potential for advancing South Asia’s stability and economic growth. This approach, if sustained, can transform SAARC into a platform that not only addresses today’s challenges but also drives a more prosperous and connected South Asia for the future.
Note:Priyanka Saurabh
Research Scholar in Political Science
Poet, Independent journalist and columnist,
Arya Nagar, Hisar (Haryana)-125003
