India unlikely to support SAARC revival due to Pakistan’s presence
India is unlikely to heed Bangladesh’s recent request to support the revival of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) due to Pakistan’s membership in the bloc, as New Delhi believes Islamabad supports terrorism against it, The Tribune has learnt.
During a weekly media briefing on Friday, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed that SAARC was discussed in a recent meeting between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Bangladesh’s Foreign Adviser Md Touhid Hossain in Muscat, Oman.
“The matter was brought up by the Bangladesh side during the meeting between the EAM and Hossain,” Jaiswal said.
Bangladesh’s new interim government, led by Muhammad Yunus, has been pushing for the revival of SAARC, which was suspended due to India’s strained ties with Pakistan.
SAARC, headquartered in Nepal, is currently chaired by Bangladesh. The regional bloc comprises India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, the Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
The next SAARC summit is expected to be held in Pakistan. However, it can only take place if all member nations reach a consensus, according to people familiar with the matter.
Sources indicated that given India’s strong stance against Pakistan, New Delhi is unlikely to support SAARC’s revival.
“New Delhi is unlikely to heed the request to revive SAARC, as it would provide Pakistan with a diplomatic platform,” a source said.
Instead, India is expected to focus on the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC). BIMSTEC consists of seven member states — five from South Asia (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka) and two from Southeast Asia (Myanmar and Thailand). Bangladesh will take over as chair of the sixth BIMSTEC summit, replacing Thailand. The summit is scheduled to be held in Bangkok from April 2 to 4.
Jaiswal stated that during the meeting, India conveyed to Bangladesh that terrorism should not be normalised.
Without directly naming Pakistan — whose ties with Bangladesh have warmed in recent months — Jaiswal remarked, “Everyone in South Asia is aware of which country and what activities are responsible for terrorism.”
Regarding comments made by several interim Bangladeshi advisers against India, Jaiswal said, “Yes, we have taken note of such remarks, which are, of course, not helpful. It is for the concerned individuals to reflect on their implications.”
Jaiswal also emphasised India’s concern about the treatment of minorities in Bangladesh, adding that the issue was raised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his recent visit to the US.
