Model Answer
0 min readIntroduction
The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), established in 1985 with the signing of the SAARC Charter in Dhaka, aimed to promote peace, stability, amity and progress in the region. However, despite its noble objectives, SAARC has largely underperformed, failing to achieve significant economic integration or address key regional challenges effectively. The organization has been plagued by political mistrust, particularly between India and Pakistan, leading to stalled projects, infrequent summits, and a general lack of momentum. The recent suspension of the 19th SAARC summit in 2016 following the Uri attack exemplifies the organization’s vulnerability to geopolitical tensions, prompting a critical assessment of its future viability and the need for revitalization.
Understanding the Failures of SAARC
Several factors contribute to SAARC’s limited success:
- Political Rivalries: The longstanding India-Pakistan conflict dominates the regional landscape, hindering cooperation on crucial issues. Cross-border terrorism and differing geopolitical interests create a climate of mistrust.
- Lack of Implementation: Numerous agreements have been signed under SAARC, but implementation remains weak due to a lack of political will and bureaucratic hurdles.
- Dominance of India: The perception of India’s dominance within SAARC often leads to concerns among smaller member states about equitable benefits and decision-making.
- Limited Scope of Cooperation: While SAARC covers a broad range of areas, its focus has been too diffuse, lacking prioritization and concrete outcomes.
- Non-Tariff Barriers: Despite the South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) agreement, significant non-tariff barriers continue to impede intra-regional trade.
Initiatives for Reinvigorating SAARC
To revitalize SAARC, a multi-pronged approach is necessary:
1. Focusing on Non-Controversial Areas
- Climate Change Cooperation: South Asia is highly vulnerable to climate change impacts. SAARC can foster collaboration on climate adaptation, disaster risk reduction, and renewable energy development. The SAARC Disaster Management Centre could be strengthened.
- Public Health Initiatives: Collaborative efforts to combat infectious diseases, improve healthcare infrastructure, and promote regional health security are crucial. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for such cooperation.
- Connectivity Projects: Focusing on infrastructure development – roads, railways, waterways – can enhance regional trade and connectivity. However, projects must be inclusive and address concerns about sovereignty and environmental impact.
2. Institutional Reforms
- Strengthening the Secretariat: Providing the SAARC Secretariat with adequate resources and expertise is essential for effective coordination and implementation of projects.
- Independent Monitoring Mechanism: Establishing an independent body to monitor the implementation of SAARC agreements and identify bottlenecks.
- Enhanced People-to-People Contacts: Promoting cultural exchanges, educational programs, and tourism can foster greater understanding and goodwill among member states.
3. Addressing Political Challenges
- Confidence-Building Measures: Initiating dialogue and confidence-building measures between India and Pakistan is paramount. This could involve joint initiatives on counter-terrorism, border management, and trade facilitation.
- Principle of Subsidiarity: Allowing smaller member states to take the lead on specific projects where they have expertise and resources.
- Flexible Participation: Exploring the possibility of “variable geometry” – allowing member states to participate in specific projects based on their interests and capabilities.
4. Exploring Alternative Frameworks & Complementary Initiatives
Recognizing the limitations of SAARC, exploring complementary regional initiatives is important:
- BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation): BIMSTEC, which includes India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, and Thailand, offers a more viable platform for regional cooperation, particularly in areas like connectivity and trade.
- BBIN (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal) Initiative: This sub-regional initiative focuses on connectivity and trade facilitation among these four countries.
| Initiative | Focus Area | Potential Benefits |
|---|---|---|
| SAARC | Broad range of areas (trade, culture, security, etc.) | Potential for comprehensive regional cooperation, but hampered by political issues. |
| BIMSTEC | Connectivity, Trade, Energy, Tourism | More focused and pragmatic approach, less affected by India-Pakistan tensions. |
| BBIN | Connectivity, Trade Facilitation | Sub-regional cooperation with specific objectives, easier to implement. |
Conclusion
While SAARC faces significant challenges, abandoning the organization entirely would be detrimental to regional stability and cooperation. Reinvigorating SAARC requires a pragmatic approach that prioritizes non-controversial areas, strengthens institutional mechanisms, and addresses the underlying political issues. Simultaneously, exploring complementary frameworks like BIMSTEC and BBIN can provide alternative avenues for regional integration. A phased approach, focusing on building trust and demonstrating tangible benefits, is crucial for restoring SAARC’s relevance and fulfilling its original promise of a peaceful and prosperous South Asia.
Answer Length
This is a comprehensive model answer for learning purposes and may exceed the word limit. In the exam, always adhere to the prescribed word count.