SAARC at Crossroads

The basic premise on which SAARC was founded is clearly showing signs of validation. While shaping the SAARC initiative during the early 1980s, it was assumed that by activating cooperative cultural identities and economic interests, political conflicts and tensions in South Asia could be moderated, if not completely eliminated. Not that SAARC has got firmly entrenched into the economic and sociocultural cooperative ventures in the manner evident in North America (NAFTA), Europe (EU), Southeast Asia (ASEAN) or Asia-Pacific (APEC). And neither have political conflicts in South Asia, such as between India and Pakistan, been resolved or reduced significantly, but there are unmistakable signs of a promise to South Asian regional affairs. SAARC stands at a critical stage of its evolution where, given the right push, it can overcome past constraints and barriers to emerge as a dynamic factor in the peace and prosperity of more than a billion South Asians.

Factors that have contributed towards this positive turn for regional cooperation in South Asia are varied and numerous. Among the important ones, the role of the more-than-a-decade-old "SAARC process" itself should be acknowledged. It has sensitised common people, policy-makers and powerful economic and cultural interests towards the opportunities available in the region for cooperation. South Asian countries now know better than they did during the 1980s about each other´s assets and liabilities, and are exploring areas of mutual interests to be harnessed.