The headlines coming out from the recent South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit have once again been disappointing. This year’s meeting was expected to breathe new life into the regional organization that confronts new challenges in the evolving nature of global politics.
Formed 29 years ago, the SAARC aspired to be a European Union-style organization to promote regional collaboration in trade, technology, international politics and culture. However, it has been held back by friction among key member states, most prominently India and Pakistan, and failed to deliver on its huge promises.
When the SAARC opened this year, all eyes were set on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Nawaz Sharif, his counterpart from Pakistan. It was hoped that the event will lead to a breakthrough in the frosted Indo-Pakistan ties based on mutual interests of trade and fight against terrorism.
Relations between the hostile neighbors have soured in the backdrop of worst cross-border violence in Kashmir in a decade.
Weeks before the summit, India had stepped up the ante against Pakistan, blaming it for sponsoring terrorism and damaging Indian interests in the region.
It was not unsurprising, therefore, that Modi rebuffed Sharif but took time out to meet all other regional leaders.
This can be counted as a missed opportunity to warm up ties and lead a new era of progress in South Asia, home to about one-fourth of the global population.
Feeling snubbed, Pakistan declined to sign three multilateral agreements with other member states that could have boosted road trade and led to electricity sharing between the two nuclear powers. The pacts would have helped to overcome trade barriers and power crisis that have stunted socioeconomic growth in South Asia.
Much to the frustration of SAARC leaders, progress on other initiatives was also too slow and insignificant. By strengthening economic ties among member states, India had hoped that SAARC would prove to be a viable counterweight to the growing Chinese influence in the region. Although China has an observer status at the SAARC, India is keen to limit its voice on the forum and power in South Asia.
As a pivotal power in the region, SAARC’s success largely hinges on the foreign policy of Indian leadership toward Pakistan and China, and its openness to wider regional cooperation.
The outcomes of SAARC conference show that deep mistrust underlines relations between India and other regional countries, who remain wary of the Indian threat. The meeting certainly tested Modi’s diplomatic skills, but his failure to advance regional integration efforts show that India has been unable to court neighbors with its foreign policy. Rather than sidelining China, India should seek to more actively engage its largest trading partner to enhance regional cooperation in trade, energy and security.
The SAARC is often seen as a platform for only talk and few actions. The SAARC leaders need to make a paradigm shift in their decision-making by sticking to their pledges. To make the organization effective, there is a dire need to strengthen its institutions, structure and strongly follow-up on commitments made in previous meetings. At the same time, leaders have also shown reluctance in making promises and dedicating resources to common socioeconomic issues and infrastructure development that can improve lives of the ordinary people.
Without these changes, SAARC is effectively a dead regional body that will not make any strong impact in South Asia.
