A Pragmatic Study on India’s SAARC Policy Development

The regional forum SAARC has a lot of promise, but without solid bilateral ties, this potential for regional collaboration cannot be realized. Given the inherent asymmetry in the eight-member nations’ geographical, economic, and strategic aspects, genuine cooperation can only occur when member nations have mutual trust and are willing to resolve & transcend bilateral discrepancies and apprehensions for the benefit of their people. Due to a variety of reasons, India bears a significant share of the blame in this regard. The most significant aspect is that, with the exception of the Maldives and Afghanistan, India is the only country that borders every SAARC nation. This geographic fact has the consequence that India must assist in developing robust economic ties with its neighbors. More significantly, India should address the problems that the trading partners have been having with India regarding border commerce and transit infrastructure. While preferential economic agreements like SAPTA would be profitable for all parties involved, it should be recognized that India can gain a lot by enhancing bilateral ties.

Despite being inspired by the success of other regional organizations like the European Union and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) has lagged far behind. The economic situation on the Indian subcontinent is hopeless, even though the security situation in the region is cause for alarm. India’s path through the SAARC has been marked by highs and lows, with maybe more lows than highs; this may have influenced India’s perspective on the organization and its strategy. This article has attempted to analyze some aspects of the interactions between India and the SAARC and the development of India’s policies on the SAARC.