Recently, the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) Foreign Ministers’ meetings were conducted virtually. These meetings brought forth many significant points regarding regional cooperation and conflict resolution.
India-Pakistan Disputes in Spotlight
One of the key takeaways from the SAARC meeting was India’s appeal to other SAARC countries to work together to defeat terrorism, with a specific reference to the elements fostering an environment conducive to terror and conflict. This pointed criticism was directed towards Pakistan, a nation known for its involvement in cross-border terrorism. Pakistan responded by commenting on the need to resolve “long-standing disputes”, indirectly referring to the controversy surrounding Jammu and Kashmir and India’s decision to repeal Article 370.
An Overview of the Background
In recent times, India has expressed concern over the commitment of SAARC member nations in jointly fighting the Covid-19 pandemic. This assertion followed Pakistan’s resistance to India’s leadership in tackling the regional crisis. Furthermore, India’s National Security Advisor had exited a virtual Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting in September 2020 due to a controversial map presented by his Pakistani counterpart.
Covid-19 and SAARC
Despite such conflicts, all SAARC nations agreed on the importance of regional cooperation in combating the coronavirus pandemic. Key initiatives included the SAARC Covid-19 Information Exchange Platform (COINEX), the SAARC Food Bank mechanism, and the SAARC Covid-19 Emergency Fund.
India’s Notable Contributions
India has made significant contributions to the SAARC Covid-19 Emergency Fund, including a financial aid of 10 million USD. In addition, it has produced essential drugs, Covid protection, and testing kits for SAARC nations, exemplified by initiatives like Operation Sanjeevani for Maldives.
The Current State and Relevance of SAARC
Since 2016, SAARC has been relatively inactive due to the non-occurrence of its biennial summits, the last one being held in Kathmandu, Nepal in 2014. Furthermore, certain SAARC nations, including India, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan, declined to participate in a planned meeting in Islamabad in 2016.
Reasons Behind SAARC’s Dysfunctional Nature
While bilateral issues are not on SAARC’s discussion table, major decisions require unanimous consent from all members. This rule has led to stagnation, with countries like Pakistan frequently vetoing important proposals. Moreover, the India-Pakistan conflict and the contentious Durand line issue between Pakistan and Afghanistan have further hindered progress.
CICA Meeting Highlights
During the recent CICA meeting, India expressed its commitment to fostering a cooperative security order in Asia. It also reaffirmed support for the Afghan peace process.
An Insight into CICA
CICA is a multi-national forum that promotes cooperation, peace, security, and stability in Asia. It was initially proposed by the first President of Kazakhstan at the 47th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in 1992. Comprising 27 member nations from Asia, CICA also includes observer nations such as Japan, Indonesia, and the USA.
Future Prospects
Despite the current dysfunctionality of SAARC, its revival can facilitate India’s neighbourhood policy and counter regional strategic encroachment by China through its Belt and Road Initiative.
Last Modified: February 9, 2024