📝The Organisation
🔶 The Charter Bodies are the main mechanisms of SAARC. These include the Summit, Council of Ministers, Standing Committee, Programming Committee, Technical Committees and Action Committees.
🔶 The Summit is the highest decision making authority in SAARC. These meetings are hosted biennially by the Member States in rotation in alphabetical order. The Member State hosting the Summit assumes the Chair of the Association until the next such meeting hosted by another Member State.
🔶 The key outcome of the SAARC Summit is the Declaration. It contains decisions and directives of the Heads of State or Government to strengthen regional cooperation in the agreed areas.
🔶 The Charter Bodies are the main mechanisms of SAARC. These include the Summit, Council of Ministers, Standing Committee, Programming Committee, Technical Committees and Action Committees.
🔶 The Summit is the highest decision making authority in SAARC. These meetings are hosted biennially by the Member States in rotation in alphabetical order. The Member State hosting the Summit assumes the Chair of the Association until the next such meeting hosted by another Member State.
🔶 The key outcome of the SAARC Summit is the Declaration. It contains decisions and directives of the Heads of State or Government to strengthen regional cooperation in the agreed areas.
📝Evolution Of SAARC
🔶 The idea of SAARC itself was put on the table by Bangladeshi leader Ziaur Rehman in the late 1970’s and it was Bangladesh which had actually pushed forward the idea of SAARC at initial stages.
🔶 Dhaka pursued the idea of SAARC initially with a view to containing the “hegemony” of India in South Asia, a view fuelled by the structural asymmetry between India and its smaller South Asian neighbors.
🔶 India also on the other hand was not very enthusiastic about the idea of SAARC as it believed that given the fact that itS neighbors harboured too many apprehensions about it and this will hamper the prospects of India at the organization, rather it will become a platform for bashing India.
🔶 Pakistan also was not very enthusiastic about SAARC since its inception as it knew that SAARC would be dominated by India (due to its sheer size).
🔶 The idea of SAARC itself was put on the table by Bangladeshi leader Ziaur Rehman in the late 1970’s and it was Bangladesh which had actually pushed forward the idea of SAARC at initial stages.
🔶 Dhaka pursued the idea of SAARC initially with a view to containing the “hegemony” of India in South Asia, a view fuelled by the structural asymmetry between India and its smaller South Asian neighbors.
🔶 India also on the other hand was not very enthusiastic about the idea of SAARC as it believed that given the fact that itS neighbors harboured too many apprehensions about it and this will hamper the prospects of India at the organization, rather it will become a platform for bashing India.
🔶 Pakistan also was not very enthusiastic about SAARC since its inception as it knew that SAARC would be dominated by India (due to its sheer size).
📝Factors Shaping the Agenda: Initial Phase of SAARC
🛡️The initial phase gave shaped the functioning of SAARC future as seen in the following:
🔶No Bilateral Issues: From the very inception of SAARC as an idea, India insisted that it would not agree to the use of any international forum for discussion of bilateral disputes
and would prefer to resolve them on a bilateral level only.
🔶Small countries Apprehensive on Trade: The smaller countries on the other hand were notinterested in putting trade & commerce on the agenda of SAARC as they were apprehensive that such a move will flood their market with Indian goods given the relatively larger size of Indian economy.
🔶Non-Controversial issues only: The SAARC agenda has focus on nine non-controversial areas of cooperation known as- “SAARC integrated programme of action” or “Regional Program of action”. The nine areas were- Agriculture & Rural development, Transport & Communication, Science & Technology, Culture, Health, Population control, Sports and Arts.
🛡️The initial phase gave shaped the functioning of SAARC future as seen in the following:
🔶No Bilateral Issues: From the very inception of SAARC as an idea, India insisted that it would not agree to the use of any international forum for discussion of bilateral disputes
and would prefer to resolve them on a bilateral level only.
🔶Small countries Apprehensive on Trade: The smaller countries on the other hand were notinterested in putting trade & commerce on the agenda of SAARC as they were apprehensive that such a move will flood their market with Indian goods given the relatively larger size of Indian economy.
🔶Non-Controversial issues only: The SAARC agenda has focus on nine non-controversial areas of cooperation known as- “SAARC integrated programme of action” or “Regional Program of action”. The nine areas were- Agriculture & Rural development, Transport & Communication, Science & Technology, Culture, Health, Population control, Sports and Arts.
📝Principles of the SAARC Charter
🛡️ Keeping the apprehensions of both India and its smaller neighbours in mind, SAARC developed a charter which would guides its functioning based on:
🔶Sovereign equality.
🔶Territorial integrity.
🔶Political independence.
🔶 Non interference in domestic matters.
🛡️ Keeping the apprehensions of both India and its smaller neighbours in mind, SAARC developed a charter which would guides its functioning based on:
🔶Sovereign equality.
🔶Territorial integrity.
🔶Political independence.
🔶 Non interference in domestic matters.
📝 SAARC Regional
1. CentresSAARC Agriculture Centre (SAC), Dhaka
🔶Established in 1989 with the mandate to provide timely, relevant and universal access to information and knowledge resources to all the agricultural practitioners of the SAARC .
🔶Member Countries to achieve their respective goals through networking agricultural knowledge and information systems by adopting the appropriate information and communication technologies, management practices and standards.
1. CentresSAARC Agriculture Centre (SAC), Dhaka
🔶Established in 1989 with the mandate to provide timely, relevant and universal access to information and knowledge resources to all the agricultural practitioners of the SAARC .
🔶Member Countries to achieve their respective goals through networking agricultural knowledge and information systems by adopting the appropriate information and communication technologies, management practices and standards.
📝SAARC Cultural Centre (SCC), Colombo, Sri Lanka
🔶This center was established in 2009 with the mandate to promote regional unity through cultural integration and intercultural dialogue and contribute towards preservation, conservation and protection of South Asia’s cultural heritage within the framework of the SAARC Agenda for Culture.
🔶This center was established in 2009 with the mandate to promote regional unity through cultural integration and intercultural dialogue and contribute towards preservation, conservation and protection of South Asia’s cultural heritage within the framework of the SAARC Agenda for Culture.
📝2. SAARC Energy Centre (SEC), Islamabad
🔶Established in 2006 with the mandate to act as a catalyst for the economic growth and development of South Asia region by initiating,coordinating and facilitating regional as well
as joint and collective activities on energy.
🔶 SEC would provide technical inputs for the SAARC Working Group (and other) meetings on Energy, and will facilitate accelerating the integration of energy strategies within the region by providing relevant information, state-of-the-art technology and expertise.
🔶Established in 2006 with the mandate to act as a catalyst for the economic growth and development of South Asia region by initiating,coordinating and facilitating regional as well
as joint and collective activities on energy.
🔶 SEC would provide technical inputs for the SAARC Working Group (and other) meetings on Energy, and will facilitate accelerating the integration of energy strategies within the region by providing relevant information, state-of-the-art technology and expertise.
📝SAARC Disaster Management Centre (SDMC), Delhi, India
🔶This Centre was re-established in November 2016 for expanded role by merging four erstwhile SAARC Centres viz.
(1) SAARC Disaster Management Centre (SDMC – New Delhi, India);
(2) SAARC Meteorological Research Centre (SMRC – Dhaka, Bangladesh);
(3) SAARC Forestry Centre (SFC – Thimphu, Bhutan);
(4) SAARC Coastal Zone Management Centre (SCZMC – Male, Maldives) with the mandate to support Member States in their Disaster Risk Reduction initiatives through application of Science & Technology, knowledge from multiple disciplines, exchange of best practices, capacity development, collaborative research and networking in line with the Global Priorities /Goals and other relevant frameworks adopted by Member States.
🔶This Centre was re-established in November 2016 for expanded role by merging four erstwhile SAARC Centres viz.
(1) SAARC Disaster Management Centre (SDMC – New Delhi, India);
(2) SAARC Meteorological Research Centre (SMRC – Dhaka, Bangladesh);
(3) SAARC Forestry Centre (SFC – Thimphu, Bhutan);
(4) SAARC Coastal Zone Management Centre (SCZMC – Male, Maldives) with the mandate to support Member States in their Disaster Risk Reduction initiatives through application of Science & Technology, knowledge from multiple disciplines, exchange of best practices, capacity development, collaborative research and networking in line with the Global Priorities /Goals and other relevant frameworks adopted by Member States.
📝Trade and Commerce: The SAARC Preferential Trade Arrangement (SAPTA)
🔶The idea of including trade and commerce on the agenda of SAARC was first given a concrete form in 1993 with the signing of (SAARC Preferential Trading Arrangement (SAPTA) signed in Dhaka on the 11th of April 1993 which provided for the adoption of various instruments of trade liberalization on a preferential basis.
🔶 Another aspect was SAARC’s more economically developed countries agreed to assist the less developed countries in the region. SAPTA was launched in 1995.
🔶The idea of including trade and commerce on the agenda of SAARC was first given a concrete form in 1993 with the signing of (SAARC Preferential Trading Arrangement (SAPTA) signed in Dhaka on the 11th of April 1993 which provided for the adoption of various instruments of trade liberalization on a preferential basis.
🔶 Another aspect was SAARC’s more economically developed countries agreed to assist the less developed countries in the region. SAPTA was launched in 1995.
📝 Features of (SAFTA)
🔶Member states will reduce tariff barriers in a time bound manner. Maximum tariff will be in the range of 0-5%.
🔶Non LDC’s of SAARC (India, Pakistan, Srilanka) had a timeframe of 7 years to reduce tariffs, while the LDC’s were provided a time frame of 10 years. As per SAFTA, South Asia was to become a free trade zone by 2016. Instead of positive list, concept of sensitive list was introduced (sensitive list would include items which would not be subjected to time bound commitment with regard to tariff reduction). However, it was agreed upon that sensitive list would be revised regularly with the objective of bringing reductions.
🔶A dispute resolution mechanism for tariff and non-tariff barriers related disputes was agreed upon
🔶Member states will reduce tariff barriers in a time bound manner. Maximum tariff will be in the range of 0-5%.
🔶Non LDC’s of SAARC (India, Pakistan, Srilanka) had a timeframe of 7 years to reduce tariffs, while the LDC’s were provided a time frame of 10 years. As per SAFTA, South Asia was to become a free trade zone by 2016. Instead of positive list, concept of sensitive list was introduced (sensitive list would include items which would not be subjected to time bound commitment with regard to tariff reduction). However, it was agreed upon that sensitive list would be revised regularly with the objective of bringing reductions.
🔶A dispute resolution mechanism for tariff and non-tariff barriers related disputes was agreed upon
📝Steps to Strengthen SAFTA
🔶At SAARC summit 2011-India has announced the removal of 46 textile items from India’s negative list
(a) India has also removed all the 25 items on sensitive list for Least Developed Countries (LDC’s) of SAARC.
(b) Steps have been taken to revive border hats at Meghalaya & Tripura border b/w India & Bangladesh.
(c) India has given five South Asian partners duty free access to 99.7% of their goods
🔶At SAARC summit 2011-India has announced the removal of 46 textile items from India’s negative list
(a) India has also removed all the 25 items on sensitive list for Least Developed Countries (LDC’s) of SAARC.
(b) Steps have been taken to revive border hats at Meghalaya & Tripura border b/w India & Bangladesh.
(c) India has given five South Asian partners duty free access to 99.7% of their goods
📝Sluggish Progress: Views from Within
🔶For the first time member countries at the Thimpu Summit in Bhutan, marking the 25th anniversary, in 2010 expressed their frustration with SAARC’s sluggish progress.
🔶The then Prime Minister of India Manmoha Singh expressed his disappointment by saying that “the glass of regional cooperation, regional development and regional integration is half empty” and emphasized that “the region must be better connected, empowered, fed and educated” to achieve comparable success with other regional organizations.
🔶In 2014 PM Narendra Modi in his speech at the 18th SAARC Summit in Kathmandu observed that “nowhere in the world are collective efforts more urgent than in South Asia; and, nowhere else is it so modest.”
🔶He also observed that “Each of us (South Asian Countries) has taken our own initiatives.
However, as SAARC we have failed to move with the speed that our people expect and
want”.
🔶For the first time member countries at the Thimpu Summit in Bhutan, marking the 25th anniversary, in 2010 expressed their frustration with SAARC’s sluggish progress.
🔶The then Prime Minister of India Manmoha Singh expressed his disappointment by saying that “the glass of regional cooperation, regional development and regional integration is half empty” and emphasized that “the region must be better connected, empowered, fed and educated” to achieve comparable success with other regional organizations.
🔶In 2014 PM Narendra Modi in his speech at the 18th SAARC Summit in Kathmandu observed that “nowhere in the world are collective efforts more urgent than in South Asia; and, nowhere else is it so modest.”
🔶He also observed that “Each of us (South Asian Countries) has taken our own initiatives.
However, as SAARC we have failed to move with the speed that our people expect and
want”.
📝SAFTA:Way Forward
🔶In a context when less than 10% of the region's internal trade takes place under SAARC Free Trade Area it is imperative to look for ways to make SAFTA work.
🔶 In recent times Track 2
initiatives, in the context of SAARC, like the South Asian Forum have put forward following recommendations-
1. Enhancing connectivity across borders.
2. Creation of a South Asian brand
3. Liberalized visa regime for businesses & freedom to invest across borders.
🔶In a context when less than 10% of the region's internal trade takes place under SAARC Free Trade Area it is imperative to look for ways to make SAFTA work.
🔶 In recent times Track 2
initiatives, in the context of SAARC, like the South Asian Forum have put forward following recommendations-
1. Enhancing connectivity across borders.
2. Creation of a South Asian brand
3. Liberalized visa regime for businesses & freedom to invest across borders.
📝Causes for the Limited Progress of SAARC
🔶Some of the major reasons for the limited progress on the part of SAARC to take off in any concrete manner has been due to-
1. Origin of SAARC- since its inception, SAARC was seen as a tool by some countries to contain India, while India also harbored its own apprehensions that the organization may be used by smaller states to score political points against it at multilateral forums.
2. India- Pakistan relations: bilateral difficulties between two of the largest members of SAARC have had casted a long shadow over the idea of SAARC. Other members of SAARC have often argued that the SAARC grouping has been crippled/ has been held back because of the fluctuating nature of their relationship. Moreover, Pakistan has never supported the idea of strengthening SAARC as it fears that India will occupy centre stage within the grouping.
🔶Some of the major reasons for the limited progress on the part of SAARC to take off in any concrete manner has been due to-
1. Origin of SAARC- since its inception, SAARC was seen as a tool by some countries to contain India, while India also harbored its own apprehensions that the organization may be used by smaller states to score political points against it at multilateral forums.
2. India- Pakistan relations: bilateral difficulties between two of the largest members of SAARC have had casted a long shadow over the idea of SAARC. Other members of SAARC have often argued that the SAARC grouping has been crippled/ has been held back because of the fluctuating nature of their relationship. Moreover, Pakistan has never supported the idea of strengthening SAARC as it fears that India will occupy centre stage within the grouping.
📝India’s Contributions
India has made unilateral offers and contributions of:
🔶 Offer of setting up a Special Purpose Facility to finance infrastructure projects in the
region and of business visa for 3-5 years for SAARC (At the 2014 Summit)
🔶 upgradation of the SAARC Supra Reference Laboratory at Kathmandu,
🔶supplying vaccines for the children of South Asia,
🔶tele-medicine projects in Afghanistan, Bhutan and Nepal,
🔶launching of SAARC satellite in 2017,
🔶building of South Asian University, at new Delhi, at the cost of around USD 240 million and
🔶voluntary contribution of US $ 100 million to the SAARC Development Fund.
India has made unilateral offers and contributions of:
🔶 Offer of setting up a Special Purpose Facility to finance infrastructure projects in the
region and of business visa for 3-5 years for SAARC (At the 2014 Summit)
🔶 upgradation of the SAARC Supra Reference Laboratory at Kathmandu,
🔶supplying vaccines for the children of South Asia,
🔶tele-medicine projects in Afghanistan, Bhutan and Nepal,
🔶launching of SAARC satellite in 2017,
🔶building of South Asian University, at new Delhi, at the cost of around USD 240 million and
🔶voluntary contribution of US $ 100 million to the SAARC Development Fund.
📝Recent Developments within SAARC
🔶At the 18th Summit of SAARC in 2014, at Kathmandu, a SAARC Framework Agreement on Energy Cooperation (electricity) was signed. The rationale for signing the SAARC electricity
trade agreement was the impending domestic energy crisis faced by individual member countries. For instance, Pakistan is struggling to meet its rising energy demands. Under this agreement:
🔶 agreement is meant to be an overarching cooperative scheme that aims to address
broad issues such as the enabling of cross border trade in electricity, the development
of a common regulatory mechanism and the waiving of customs fees
🔶 18th summit decided to close down three regional centres, namely the SAARC
Documentation Centre (SDC) in New Delhi, SAARC Human Resource Development Centre
(SHRDC) in Islamabad and SAARC Information Centre (SIC) in Kathmandu and transfer their mandates to the secretariat and other mechanisms.
🔶At the 18th Summit of SAARC in 2014, at Kathmandu, a SAARC Framework Agreement on Energy Cooperation (electricity) was signed. The rationale for signing the SAARC electricity
trade agreement was the impending domestic energy crisis faced by individual member countries. For instance, Pakistan is struggling to meet its rising energy demands. Under this agreement:
🔶 agreement is meant to be an overarching cooperative scheme that aims to address
broad issues such as the enabling of cross border trade in electricity, the development
of a common regulatory mechanism and the waiving of customs fees
🔶 18th summit decided to close down three regional centres, namely the SAARC
Documentation Centre (SDC) in New Delhi, SAARC Human Resource Development Centre
(SHRDC) in Islamabad and SAARC Information Centre (SIC) in Kathmandu and transfer their mandates to the secretariat and other mechanisms.
📝India’s Contributions
India has made unilateral offers and contributions of:
🔶 Offer of setting up a Special Purpose Facility to finance infrastructure projects in the
region and of business visa for 3-5 years for SAARC (At the 2014 Summit)
🔶 upgradation of the SAARC Supra Reference Laboratory at Kathmandu,
🔶supplying vaccines for the children of South Asia,
🔶tele-medicine projects in Afghanistan, Bhutan and Nepal,
🔶launching of SAARC satellite in 2017,
🔶building of South Asian University, at new Delhi, at the cost of around USD 240 million and
🔶voluntary contribution of US $ 100 million to the SAARC Development Fund.
India has made unilateral offers and contributions of:
🔶 Offer of setting up a Special Purpose Facility to finance infrastructure projects in the
region and of business visa for 3-5 years for SAARC (At the 2014 Summit)
🔶 upgradation of the SAARC Supra Reference Laboratory at Kathmandu,
🔶supplying vaccines for the children of South Asia,
🔶tele-medicine projects in Afghanistan, Bhutan and Nepal,
🔶launching of SAARC satellite in 2017,
🔶building of South Asian University, at new Delhi, at the cost of around USD 240 million and
🔶voluntary contribution of US $ 100 million to the SAARC Development Fund.
📝Making SAARC Work
🔶A number of initiatives have been agreed upon by the member countries in the 16th SAARC summit held at Thimpu in 2010 & 17th summit at Addu in 2011.
Following steps have been suggested at the 16th summit-
🔶 It was also realised that effective communication and public diplomacy is essential to reach out to students, youth, private media, think tanks, civil society and institutions for economic development. This would be important to popularize the concept of
regional cooperation and generate an interest among the people of the region on the activities of SAARC. It would essentially build the image of the organization which many consider as a dead horse.
🔶An ambitious vision has been adopted. For example: 2010-2020 has been declared “Decade of Intra-regional Connectivity in SAARC” when member countries themselves are hesitant to provide even bilateral connectivity.
🔶A number of initiatives have been agreed upon by the member countries in the 16th SAARC summit held at Thimpu in 2010 & 17th summit at Addu in 2011.
Following steps have been suggested at the 16th summit-
🔶 It was also realised that effective communication and public diplomacy is essential to reach out to students, youth, private media, think tanks, civil society and institutions for economic development. This would be important to popularize the concept of
regional cooperation and generate an interest among the people of the region on the activities of SAARC. It would essentially build the image of the organization which many consider as a dead horse.
🔶An ambitious vision has been adopted. For example: 2010-2020 has been declared “Decade of Intra-regional Connectivity in SAARC” when member countries themselves are hesitant to provide even bilateral connectivity.
📝Sluggish Progress: Views from Within
🔶For the first time member countries at the Thimpu Summit in Bhutan, marking the 25th anniversary, in 2010 expressed their frustration with SAARC’s sluggish progress.
🔶The then Prime Minister of India Manmoha Singh expressed his disappointment by saying that “the glass of regional cooperation, regional development and regional integration is half empty” and emphasized that “the region must be better connected, empowered, fed and educated” to achieve comparable success with other regional organizations.
🔶In 2014 PM Narendra Modi in his speech at the 18th SAARC Summit in Kathmandu observed that “nowhere in the world are collective efforts more urgent than in South Asia; and, nowhere else is it so modest.”
🔶He also observed that “Each of us (South Asian Countries) has taken our own initiatives.
However, as SAARC we have failed to move with the speed that our people expect and
want”.
🔶For the first time member countries at the Thimpu Summit in Bhutan, marking the 25th anniversary, in 2010 expressed their frustration with SAARC’s sluggish progress.
🔶The then Prime Minister of India Manmoha Singh expressed his disappointment by saying that “the glass of regional cooperation, regional development and regional integration is half empty” and emphasized that “the region must be better connected, empowered, fed and educated” to achieve comparable success with other regional organizations.
🔶In 2014 PM Narendra Modi in his speech at the 18th SAARC Summit in Kathmandu observed that “nowhere in the world are collective efforts more urgent than in South Asia; and, nowhere else is it so modest.”
🔶He also observed that “Each of us (South Asian Countries) has taken our own initiatives.
However, as SAARC we have failed to move with the speed that our people expect and
want”.
📝 India’s Neighbourhood Policy: Neighbourhood First
🔶 When PM Narendra Modi took oath as the 14th Indian Prime Minister in May 2014, he made a significant diplomatic outreach to India’s neighbours by inviting their heads of
government.
🔶 The PM soon made his first foreign visit to Bhutan. Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj too, made her first official foreign visit in the neighbourhood, to Bangladesh. The diplomatic priority that government attached to the neighbourhood is evident from the PM’s visit to all of India’s neighbours, except Maldives, and the numerous leaders hosted in New Delhi and meetings at other multilateral fora.
🔶These developments have gave rise to the term ‘nieghborhood first’ as India’s policy in its periphery.
🔶 When PM Narendra Modi took oath as the 14th Indian Prime Minister in May 2014, he made a significant diplomatic outreach to India’s neighbours by inviting their heads of
government.
🔶 The PM soon made his first foreign visit to Bhutan. Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj too, made her first official foreign visit in the neighbourhood, to Bangladesh. The diplomatic priority that government attached to the neighbourhood is evident from the PM’s visit to all of India’s neighbours, except Maldives, and the numerous leaders hosted in New Delhi and meetings at other multilateral fora.
🔶These developments have gave rise to the term ‘nieghborhood first’ as India’s policy in its periphery.
📝India and Pakistan Relations
🛡️The Background ( Part 1 )
🔶 Pakistan resolution passed in the annual session of the All India Muslim League held in
Lahore on 22–24 March 1940.
🔶 Partition of India 1947: Creation of Pakistan
🔶Kashmir issue was taken up at the UN 1948 and Ceasefire came into existence in 1949.
🔶Pakistan Joins the SEATO (1954) and Baghdad Pact or CENTO (1955)
🔶The Indus Water Treaty was signed in 1960 with the Mediation of the World Bank
🔶6 rounds of talks in1962-64
🔶The India-Pakistan War 1965-
🔶 Tashkent agreement 1966- Both sides giving up territorial claims, withdrawing their armies from the disputed territory.
🛡️The Background ( Part 1 )
🔶 Pakistan resolution passed in the annual session of the All India Muslim League held in
Lahore on 22–24 March 1940.
🔶 Partition of India 1947: Creation of Pakistan
🔶Kashmir issue was taken up at the UN 1948 and Ceasefire came into existence in 1949.
🔶Pakistan Joins the SEATO (1954) and Baghdad Pact or CENTO (1955)
🔶The Indus Water Treaty was signed in 1960 with the Mediation of the World Bank
🔶6 rounds of talks in1962-64
🔶The India-Pakistan War 1965-
🔶 Tashkent agreement 1966- Both sides giving up territorial claims, withdrawing their armies from the disputed territory.