South Asian Regional Cooperation Organization (SAARS-SAARC) was once considered a symbol of regional unity and economic cooperation. But due to tension between India and Pakistan, SAARC has become inactive for the last few years. In such a situation, Pakistan and China are working on the establishment of a new regional group, which can give a new look to geopolitical equations in South Asia and neighboring areas. Let us tell you that this organization, established in 1985, includes eight member countries- India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives and Afghanistan.
Let us tell you that after the Uri attack in 2016, India boycotted the proposed SAARC Summit in Islamabad, after which no summit has been held. There has been no biennial summit of SAARC since the summit in Kathmandu in 2014. Actually, the policies of SAARC require consensus, but the member countries are not unanimous on many issues, which slows down the decision process. India has started prioritizing Bimstec (Bay of Bengal multi-regional technical and economic cooperation initiative) amidst the inaction of SAARC, which does not have a member of Pakistan.
Also read: China stopped India’s supply, Japan stood in front of a rock
At the same time, China is already active through projects like “China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)” to strengthen its hold in South Asia. It is now working on the possibility of an alternative regional organization by combining some countries in South Asia and Central Asia. According to reports, Pakistan wants a platform where India’s influence is limited and has the support of a powerful partner like China. The platform will focus on business, contact and strategic cooperation, similar to SAARC, but will have India’s absence or limited role. It is being told that this new platform of China and Pakistan may include some countries in Afghanistan, Iran, Central Asia (such as Tajikistan, Uzbekistan) and possibly South Asian countries like Sri Lanka and Nepal, which are already partners in China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
On the other hand, India can see this new platform as a strategic challenge, especially if the trend of South Asian countries moves towards China. India has tried to give a new dimension to regional cooperation through forums such as Bimstec, Quad and Indo-Pacific Framework. But to balance this new initiative, India will need to further strengthen relations with its neighboring countries.
Let us tell you that the ‘Express Tribune’ newspaper of Pakistan has written that the conversation between Islamabad and Beijing is now in front, as both sides are convinced that a new organization is necessary for regional integration and contact. Citing sources, the newspaper has said that this new organization can potentially replace regional organization SAARC. He said that the recent tripartite meeting of Pakistan, China and Bangladesh in Kunming, China was part of these diplomatic efforts. According to sources, its goal is to invite other South Asian countries, which were part of SAARC (SAARC) to join the new group.
However, the interim government of Bangladesh rejected the idea of any emerging coalition between Dhaka, Beijing and Islamabad and said the meeting was not ‘political’. Foreign Affairs advisor M. Tauheed Hussain said, “We are not forming an alliance.” The newspaper said that the main objective of the new organization is to explore the possibility of more regional engagement by increasing trade and contact. It states that if the proposal is embodied, it will replace SAARC, which has been suspended for a long time due to the India-Pakistan conflict.
However, there is no doubt that what China and Pakistan are doing to fill the geopolitical zero born from the inactivity of SAARC is actually an attempt to create regional impact and strategic balance. In the coming years, it will be clear whether this new group will be able to become an alternative to SAARC, but it is certain that regional politics in South Asia has reached a new turn.
