On a historic day of 1985, seven South Asian nations came together with a dream—the dream of building an integrated, cooperative, and peaceful region. The main philosophy behind the establishment of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) was regional integration, economic cooperation, and mutual development. But today, almost four decades later, that dream has been lost somewhere. The name SAARC has now become a disappointing chapter in the pages of history. Why?

Initially, the organization was operating quite well. Conferences were being held, cooperation initiatives were being taken in various fields. But gradually SAARC’s progress stalled. Because some cracks had formed within it that could never be repaired. Today, the question arises—why did SAARC fail? Who is responsible for this?

Political conflicts

The main reason behind the failure of SAARC was the internal conflicts and political tensions among the member states. Especially, the hostile relations between India and Pakistan have completely paralyzed the organization’s activities. The long-standing Kashmir issue, military competition, and continuous border tensions between the two South Asian superpowers have hindered SAARC’s progress.

According to the SAARC agreement, no bilateral issues can be discussed here. However, the reality is that the hostility between India and Pakistan has become a shadow of every SAARC summit. The SAARC summit was postponed after the Uri attack in 2016, which has not been held again yet.

Structural weaknesses

Strong leadership is necessary for the success of any regional organization. In the case of the European Union (EU), the role of Germany and France was strong. However, the lack of leadership is glaring in SAARC. Due to the lack of trust and unity among the member states, the organization could not adopt effective policies.

In addition, the structural weakness of SAARC is another major reason for its failure. The organization’s decision-making process was consensus-based, meaning that no decision could be made if a country objected. This made the organization virtually ineffective.

No progress on SAFTA

One of the main goals of establishing SAARC was to increase economic cooperation. But in reality, it has not been successful. Trade relations between South Asian countries are still very weak due to lack of proper mutual understanding. Although the SAARC Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA) is in effect, it has not brought any significant progress in practice. High tariff barriers, complex import-export procedures, and distrust among member countries are major obstacles to trade growth.

On the other hand, while trade relations between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) members have expanded, SAARC members have failed to establish trade relations among themselves.

The failure of SAARC is not only due to internal factors, but also the influence of international and regional geopolitics. South Asian countries have fallen under the influence of superpowers. India has America and Western allies on one side, while Pakistan has the support of China and the Muslim world on the other. As a result, SAARC has never emerged as an independent, neutral, and effective organization.

Alternative paths

SAARC is practically dying. The organization has not been able to take any effective steps in the last decade. However, the countries of South Asia are economically and socially dependent on each other. So what is its alternative?

Currently, another organization called Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is gaining importance, in which several countries including India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand are associated. It is creating a connection between South Asia and Southeast Asia, where Pakistan is not included. India is currently focusing on BIMSTEC instead of SAARC, which is making the future of SAARC even more uncertain.

Who is responsible?

Who is responsible for the failure of SAARC? It cannot be blamed on any single country. The rivalry between India and Pakistan, the silent role of small countries, lack of leadership, and structural weaknesses—all of which have led to the failure of SAARC. However, the biggest responsibility lies with the shoulders of India and Pakistan. If they had put aside their personal disputes and worked for regional interests, SAARC would have been effective today.

Can SAARC be revived?

Can SAARC be revived? The answer is uncertain. If the member states truly forget their mutual animosities and work together, then perhaps SAARC can be revived one day. But in the current context, it is not possible to see SAARC’s phoenix-like resurrection. SAARC was a dream that remained unfulfilled. The potential that had existed to change the fate of the people of South Asia has been lost today due to political conflicts.

(The author is an undergraduate student of the Department of International Relations at the University of Rajshahi, Bangladesh. Views expressed are personal. She can be reached at atiaibnat01403@gmail.com)