SAARC: UTOPIAN IDEA EXISTING ONLY IN SUMMIT DOCUMENTS
The Association of Southeast ASIAN Nations (ASEAN) Is among the world’s largest regional intergovernmental organisations. Since its inception, the countries in the region have become more integrated through enhanced intraregional trade and connectivity.
The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), GEOGRAPHICALLY proximate to ASEAN, started its journey in 1985 with similar aspirations but over time has failed to deliver. It has been unable to integrate the region through trade and connectivity and continues to be stuck in the quagmire of regional politics and rivalry and stagnates from historical distrust and old animosity.
In Its irst two DECADES, ASEAN focussed on a limited range of issues, but over time its mandate expanded and now includes climate change, disaster management, counterterrorism, drugs AND Human traficking. ASEAN’S Greatest success has been its ability to deftly resolve disputes. In the early years, for instance, its unity was challenged by the Philippines-malaysia dispute over Sabah, but the founding members found a peaceful mechanism to mitigate opposing claims.
In the case of SAARC, political squabbles, deep mistrust and military Conlict BETWEEN INDIA AND Pakistan have frustrated regional cooperation. The whole region is suffering from lost potential due to India-pakistan hostility which hit a new low when India boycotted the 19th SAARC summit as a result of the Uri terrorist attack, with Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Bhutan following suit, eventually resulting in cancellation of the summit.
TRADE In ASEAN HAS Grown rapidly and it has focussed on promoting rapid economic growth and modernisation. It has created the Comprehensive Investment Agreement (ACIA), which ensures liberalisation and protection of crossborder investments operations, together with best practices for the treatment of foreign investors and investments.
On the other hand, trade amongst the SAARC members stands at 3.5% of their total volume of trade. Initiatives under the South Asian Free Trade Association have failed to make much headway. Subregional initiatives like the Bangladesh-bhutan-india-nepal Motor Vehicle Agreement also have stalled.
As the biggest country of SAARC, India is trying to exert leadership by forming subregional initiatives like the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-sectoral TECHNICAL AND Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC). Another OBJECTIVE Is to Isolate Pakistan. Such attempts to forge subregional ties at the cost of jeopardising the regional vision for unity have not BEEN witnessed In ASEAN.
WHEN ASEAN was CRITICISED For taking in Myanmar in spite of its military rule, the grouping emphasised the importance of keeping open the channels of communication and engagement as A Better means to Inluence THE REGIME. Bilateral bickering never got in the way of trade and travel.
On the political and economic continuum, ASEAN HAS BEHAVED pragmatically and sensibly whereas South Asia has been bogged down by bilateral animosity and the bitter legacy of partition. ASEAN members HAVE AVOIDED showing outward hostility against each other and have tried to resolve differences through dialogue, engagement and cooperation.
Unless there is a serious and concerted effort by the political leadership of SAARC, led primarily by India and Pakistan, to revitalise the regional body, it will continue to be what it always has been: a utopian idea existing only in summit documents.