Missed opportunities

SAARC gatherings on UNGA sidelines offer India and Pakistan a rare chance to talk. But they don’t.

The failure of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) ministerial-level delegation to sit on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) for four years in a row is suggestive of the vegetative state of the regional body. Traditionally, the ministerial gathering set vital regional agenda and acted as a “tone setter” for the high level summit. There has been no SAARC summit since Kathmandu 2014. With no summit, Nepal has failed to hand over its presidency of the body. As such it was the country’s responsibility to hold the gathering in New York this year as well. But despite Nepal’s valiant efforts, it was not meant to be. Frankly, Nepal or any other intermediary can do precious little to revive the moribund organisation unless India and Pakistan agree not to let their bilateral animosity affect regional cooperation. India’s consistent stand not to sit for the summit is especially problematic: even this year, its foreign minister arrived at the UNGA rather late. In its efforts to isolate Pakistan, India has been promoting the BIMSTEC instead. But then, the two regional organisations have different roles and one cannot substitute for another.