Big shift brews in India's neighbourhood: Pak, China prepare ground for an alternative to SAARC

In a significant diplomatic development with big likely implications for India's immediate neighbourhood, Pakistan and China are reportedly advancing plans to establish a new regional organisation aimed at enhancing cooperation in South Asia, PTI reported on June 30. This initiative comes as a response to the prolonged stagnation of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), which has been inactive largely due to tensions between India and Pakistan, the report said.

PTI cited Pakistan's Express Tribune newspaper to report that discussions between Islamabad and Beijing are progressing, with both nations recognising the necessity for a fresh platform to boost regional integration and connectivity.

As the new situation develops, the implications for regional politics and economics could be significant. If realised, this new initiative may redefine the landscape of South Asian cooperation, fostering closer ties among member nations while providing an alternative to the now-defunct SAARC framework, the report said.


The coming months will be crucial as discussions progress and the vision for this new entity takes shape, it added.

SAARC falls out of favour

SAARC, which includes India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, has not convened since its last summit in Kathmandu in 2014.

The 2016 summit scheduled in Islamabad was cancelled after India withdrew its participation following the terrorist attack in Uri. This incident led Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Afghanistan to also decline attending, effectively placing SAARC in a state of suspension.

The proposed new organisation aims to fill this void, providing a space for dialogue and collaboration among South Asian nations.

Decoding the proposed new arrangement

The recent trilateral meeting involving Pakistan, China, and Bangladesh in Kunming was a pivotal moment in these discussions.

While Bangladesh’s interim government has dismissed the notion of a formal alliance, saying that the meeting was not political in nature, sources indicate that the proposed organisation would extend invitations to other South Asian countries previously involved in SAARC.

Notably, India is expected to be included, along with Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and Afghanistan. The new organisation is being seen as a potential vehicle for enhancing trade and connectivity across the region, addressing the current gaps left by SAARC.