Multi-speed Saarc summit

Foreign secretary Nirupama Rao indicated on Friday that there is as yet no bilateral meeting planned between prime minister Manmohan Singh and his Pakistani counterpart, Yusuf Raza Gilani, at the South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (Saarc) meeting to be held in the Bhutanese capital of Thimphu on April 28 and 29. Nor is there a similar move for meetings between the foreign ministers and foreign secretaries of the two countries on the sidelines of the summit.

This is good news. Meetings between the big two of Saarc have a tendency to overshadow the main agenda of summits, especially when these meetings receive hyped up media coverage. Given the parlous state of India-Pakistan relations at this stage, it is better if the conference were to focus on what to do about regional trade, which could do with some serious boosting.

The Thimphu summit marks the 25th year of Saarc’s existence and the focus should be on how to make this south Asian grouping more effective and vibrant than it has been in the past. 

The problem with Saarc is that India is the overwhelming economic power in the region, and thus does not really need the others. The only rationale is geography. It would be more comfortable doing bilateral deals — even if they favour the smaller neighbours — since there is then less possibility of political friction.

Due to the India-Pakistan rivalry, the other members have been forced to remain in the shadows, unable to push forward the legitimate and crucial issues that could bind and strengthen relations between countries in the region. To change things around, it will be necessary for Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to play a more assertive role and take the discussions forward.

It is, of course, futile to expect that economic issues can be separated from politics at Saarc. Unlike the Asean nations, who have few political problems with one another, India’s size ensures that every one of its neighbours has a chip on its shoulder about it.

Thus even though ties with Bangladesh have improved after the election of Sheikh Hasina, there is a reticence in opening up the country to more Indian companies. Nepal is allowing itself to be wooed by China at a time when India-China ties are less than cordial.

Perhaps the best way to proceed with Saarc is to allow bilaterals to drive it. A multi-speed Saarc with India doings faster deals with the more willing countries may be the best way ahead.