Promoting Saarcasm

End summit ritualism, get down to business

There is far too much ritualism and too little substance associated with the periodic meetings of the heads of government of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation. If the region’s political leadership is serious about regional cooperation then these elaborate summits must give way to regular and informal interaction, as in the European Union and Asean. A former prime minister of Nepal had once suggested that Saarc heads of government ought to be meeting every now and then, perhaps for a quick working lunch and an evening out, so that real bonhomie is created. But the legacy of the Raj is all pervasive in the sub-continent even though the old imperial powers have taught their politicians to roll up their sleeves and walk around in jeans at such summits. If Saarc has to evolve from its present status as an infrequent ritual, often organised to bolster the sagging image of the host government, it must beef up the intensity of economic interaction.

The share of intra-Saarc trade as a percentage of Saarc’s trade with the rest of the world is an abysmal 3 per cent. This must go up. Admittedly, there is more India can do than it has so far been willing to. But if India must yield on the economic side, other members must yield on the political side. Guilt-tripping India for its size and constantly carping about its regional dominance will not help. The internal structure of Saarc is a given, even if Pakistan wants to still try breaking up India, so its members must grow up and learn to live with the built-in inequalities.One way of dealing with India’s bigness would be to widen Saarc’s membership. Bring in Iran, Afghanistan and Myanmar and you get a truly “Southern” Asian organisation. For starters, Saarc countries must invest more in increased regional interaction so that neighbours don’t feel like they are foreigners in each other’s country.