Bangladesh’s caretaker government leader, Muhammad Yunus, met with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and sought Pakistan’s assistance in reviving SAARC, a regional association where India holds a pivotal role. However, India has consistently rejected the idea due to Pakistan’s support for terrorism, which has led India to distance itself from SAARC meetings.
India decided to pull back from the SAARC summit after the Uri attack in 2016. Nineteen Indian soldiers were killed in that attack, prompting India to take a strong stance against trade and relations with Pakistan. Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar declared that India would not tolerate a “night of terrorism and a day of trade.”
While both Bangladesh and Pakistan are actively pushing to revive SAARC, India remains firm in its anti-terrorism stance, which hinders these efforts. The primary motive behind the revival is economic cooperation and trade, which are crucial for both Bangladesh and Pakistan as they face economic challenges.
Pakistan has, on numerous occasions, requested a SAARC summit, but each time, India has declined. Pakistan claims that SAARC can promote collaboration and trade between South Asian countries, but India’s firm opposition to terrorism is the main obstacle to its revival.
With the new leadership in Bangladesh, under Muhammad Yunus, there is renewed interest in reviving SAARC. Yunus met with Shehbaz Sharif, and the two leaders discussed the revival of SAARC during a meeting at the UN General Assembly. Yunus mentioned that SAARC could model itself on the European Union and that regional cooperation would benefit all member countries. Sharif expressed his support and pledged Pakistan’s cooperation in reviving the regional platform.
However, without India’s participation, the revival of SAARC remains improbable as India is the largest economy in the region. India, a key member of other global groupings like G20 and BRICS, has consistently maintained that it cannot engage in any forum that harbors terrorism.
SAARC and Trade
SAARC was established in 1985 to promote economic cooperation and development among South Asian nations. It comprises Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan. While its primary goal is to enhance regional growth and trade, tensions between India and Pakistan have weakened its influence.
Both Bangladesh and Pakistan are eager to revive SAARC as a means of fostering trade and economic benefits. Under former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh did not push for the revival of SAARC, but Muhammad Yunus is making strides in that direction. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Sharif has also committed to working with Bangladesh to revive SAARC, and the two countries agreed to take steps to enhance regional trade through the platform.
India’s Firm Stance
Despite the push from Bangladesh and Pakistan, India has made its position clear. India will not be part of any organization that includes a nation actively supporting terrorism. Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar reiterated this when he said that India cannot engage in “terrorism by night and trade by day.”
India’s rapidly growing economy is a crucial factor in this scenario. As one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, India holds significant power in the region. While Bangladesh and Pakistan are seeking economic relief through SAARC, India’s strong stance against terrorism has kept it from rejoining the grouping.
The Future of SAARC
The future of SAARC remains uncertain. Unless India changes its anti-terrorism policy, the revival of SAARC seems difficult. While SAARC could be a valuable platform for both Bangladesh and Pakistan, it remains weak without India’s participation. It will be interesting to see if Bangladesh and Pakistan devise new strategies to bring India back to SAARC or if they will try to address their economic crises without the grouping.
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