Both SAARC and ASEAN took birth with almost similar aspirations.
While ASEAN celebrates its 50th year, being largely successful, the SAARC has remained stagnated.
Why has SAARC stagnated?
Cooperation - The political animosity and military conflict between India and Pakistan have disturbed the regional cooperation.
This witnessed a new low when India boycotted the 19th SAARC summit in Pakistan, as a result of the Uri terrorist attack.
Subsequently the summit was cancelled with Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Bhutan following India's stance.
Trade - Trade amongst the SAARC members stands only at 3.5% of their total volume of trade.
Initiatives under the South Asian Free Trade Association have failed to make much headway.
Sub-regional initiatives like the BBIN Motor Vehicle Agreement also have stalled. (Click hereto know why)
Connectivity - The SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme allows only certain categories of dignitaries to be exempt from visas.
Ordinary citizens are excluded from accessing unimpeded travel in the region.
Free movement of people between India and Pakistan is not that easy.
It is even difficult to a get visa for citizens of other SAARC countries who have visited either India or Pakistan before and now wish to travel to the other.
Poor infrastructure in SAARC countries also plagues connectivity.
What lessons do ASEAN hold for SAARC?
Mandates - ASEAN, in its first two decades, focussed on a limited range of issues.
Only after securing them, it expanded its mandate over time.
Resultantly, it now deliberates on varied issues such as climate change, disaster management, counterterrorism, drugs and human trafficking, etc.
Cooperation - ASEAN was able to ensure its sustainability by amicably resolving the disputes and adopting peaceful mechanisms to mitigate opposing claims.
Trade - Trade in ASEAN has grown rapidly.
It has focussed on promoting rapid economic growth and modernisation.
It has created the ASEAN Comprehensive Investment Agreement (ACIA) for facilitating trade.
This ensures liberalisation and protection of cross-border investments operations, together with best practices for the treatment of foreign investors and investments.
Connectivity - ASEAN nations are planning to waive entry requirements amongst the member states.
A feasibility study has been conducted on the development of a rail link from Singapore to Kunming in southern China.
This boosts intraregional trade and people-to-people connectivity.
Projects aimed at promoting the entire region as a tourist destination have also been undertaken.
What lies ahead for SAARC?
SAARC countries should avoid building sub-regional ties at the cost of jeopardising the regional vision for unity.
E.g. Attempting to isolate Pakistan by forming sub-regional initiatives like the BIMSTEC.
Bilateral power struggle and animosity should not come in the way of keeping open the channels of engagement.
Quick Facts
SAARC
The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) was established with the signing of the SAARC Charter in Dhaka on 8 December 1985.
SAARC comprises of eight Member States who are Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
ASEAN
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was established in 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand.
It came in with the signing of the ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok Declaration) by the founding members namely Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.
Brunei Darussalam, Viet Nam, Lao PDR, Myanmar, and Cambodia joined in the course of time.
ASEAN Comprehensive Investment Agreement
ACIA was adopted in 2009 in the context of an integrated economic community.
It was envisioned as ASEAN’s instrument to create a free and open investment environment to increase global competition and enhance the attractiveness of ASEAN as a single investment destination
