The Indian Prime Minister has recently made a significant move by addressing a letter to the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Secretariat. The timing of this letter was especially noteworthy as it arrived on the founding day of this influential bloc. The main point of the letter focused on a pressing issue that all countries in South Asia are currently grappling with: terrorism. Notably, the Prime Minister underscored the urgency to expand collaboration among South Asian nations to counteract this escalating danger.
India and the SAARC Grouping
Over the past three years, there has been a noticeable shift in India’s relation with the SAARC. The root cause of this distancing stems from the security challenge that India perceives from terror networks rooted in Pakistan – a fellow member of the SAARC grouping. This evolving dynamic lends additional context to the Prime Minister’s recent address.
The Origin and Purpose of SAARC
SAARC came into existence following the signing of the SAARC Charter in Dhaka, Bangladesh on December 8, 1985. The association was formed with a clear emphasis on promoting the welfare and enhancing the quality of life of the South Asian populace. Other key objectives include accelerating economic growth among others. Comprising of eight Member States – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka – the Secretariat of this organization is based in Kathmandu, Nepal.
| Formation | 8th December 1985 |
|---|---|
| Member States | 8 (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka) |
| Secretariat | Kathmandu, Nepal |
SAARC Summits: Discussion Platforms for Member States
SAARC Summits serve as important platforms for discussions and are usually held every two years. Hosted by member states in alphabetical order, the most recent Summit took place in Katmandu, Nepal in 2014, which had India in attendance.
However, tensions escalated during the 2016 SAARC Summit, which was supposed to be hosted in Islamabad. In the wake of a terror attack on an Indian army camp in Uri, Jammu and Kashmir, four member countries – India, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan – decided not to attend the meet. This led to the cancellation of the summit.
Recent SAARC Activities
The latest interaction among the SAARC nations happened on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly on September 26, 2019. The Minister of External Affairs of India attended this meeting of the SAARC Foreign Ministers that took place in New York.