Pakistan, China, and Bangladesh are aiming for a new regional bloc. According to the new alliance formation, it is planning for a replacement of SAARC, and potentially India would be invited to be a part of it.
What’s the matter?
A recent trilateral meeting between Pakistan, China, and Bangladesh in Kunming, China, was part of those diplomatic manoeuvres, they said, adding that its goal was to invite other South Asian countries, which were part of SAARC, to join the new grouping.
But Bangladesh has declined the idea of emerging as a new regional bloc, as stated by Mr M. Touhid Hussain (foreign affairs advisor): “We are not forming any alliance.”
Why SAARC is inactive
The 2016 SAARC Summit was to be held in Islamabad. But after the terrorist attack on an Indian Army camp in Uri in Jammu and Kashmir on September 18 that year, India expressed its inability to participate in the summit due to “prevailing circumstances”.
The India-Pakistan rivalry is one of the key reasons why SAARC is not able to perform with the efficiency of other regional blocs.
The last virtual meet was conducted in the year 2020 regarding the growing COVID-19 concern. Currently SAARC has eight members; these are Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. The organisation was established in 1985.
Why the eagerness to create
According to the Wake of the Pahalgam Terror Attack, the relations between India and Pakistan reached a new low, which compelled Pakistan to consider a new regional group in South Asia.
Another can be the Chinese ambition of becoming a hegemon in the region of South Asia since the region is always going through a tumultuous time.
Would India join?
The possibility could be slightly low, as Pakistan’s active role in the coming of a new regional bloc would be more, which would not be good for India.
India’s membership in I2U2, SCO, BIMSTEC, etc. means the SAARC summit’s suspension hasn’t hurt it.
Even we have considerable good relations with the neighbours, but in recent times the relations have gone through significant changes.
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