India is no match for China in the SAARC summit

[Irfan Baloch]

In Kathmandu, Pakistan was joined by Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and the Maldives in the growing clamour for China,

so this is not just Pakistan's wish. India might be the only country left in the end opposing China by the looks of it.

 

[Ammyy]

LEAVE?

yaar phudu .. we are planning on bringing China IN.. if you dont like it then you can leave..
or just stay and keep crying

Yaar phudu .... You are not important to SAARC so your wish not applied here

 

[Irfan Baloch]

Yaar phudu .... You are not important to SAARC so your wish not applied here

Yaar ghusa na ker 3 more countries are saying the same thing. Chinese wont hurt you
MUCH

 

[Hulk]

If the best that Narendra Modi’s spin doctors could do to underscore his success at the recent SAARC summit was to boast that he stuck to a simple vegetarian meal while Pakistan’s Nawaz Sharif feasted on halal meat, evidently there is little else to crow about. Beyond a point, hype becomes counterproductive.

SAARC has been a non-achiever and the 18th SAARC summit in Kathmandu was no exception. Given SAARC’s record, no one expected substantive outcomes at this summit either. Hence, lack of tangible results is neither surprising nor disappointing. No one expected Modi to fire up SAARC or turn it into a star performer. Thus, claims that this SAARC summit was a “success” because it was a “successful outing” for Modi, because he occupied centre stage in Kathmandu, because he set the tone, because he was one up on Sharif, because …, because …, only serve to emphasise the opposite.

SAARC has not been a life-changing force in South Asia. This does not mean that it is useless or should be wound up. It is as useful or useless as the UN, or, for that matter any other regional or international forum.

SAARC has its uses. Otherwise, SAARC observer countries, such as the US, China, the EU, Japan, Iran, Australia and South Korea would not be pushing hard for a greater role in this eight-nation grouping. In fact, some observers, like China, want full membership.

New Delhi is opposed to China assuming a larger role — in any form — in SAARC. Much to India’s discomfiture, the more New Delhi sets itself up against China’s role, the greater the support China gains for expanding its influence within SAARC. And, Modi, much like Manmohan Singh, seems helpless in containing China’s growing power within SAARC and over SAARC member-nations. Except for India, no other member (or observer) is opposed to China’s membership or enhanced role in SAARC.

India is isolated on this issue and engaged in a losing battle. This is a failure of both policy and strategy — not any particular party or Prime Minister — that may haunt India for a long time unless it accepts the challenge represented by China in SAARC and deals with it in a manner that redounds to India’s credit.

China has been looming large over SAARC for some years now. At the 2011 summit in the Maldives, where the issue of its aspiring status could no longer be brushed aside, SAARC settled for a “comprehensive review” of its engagement with observer-states, including the prospect of dialogue partnership.

Far from going away or being shelved, the issue of upgrading China’s status, contrary to New Delhi’s expectation, has only become more challenging. India was seen as opposing elevation of China’s status because this was proposed by Pakistan. In Kathmandu, Pakistan was joined by Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and the Maldives in the growing clamour for China, among other observers, to be granted a larger role. It can no longer be viewed as a case of all-weather friends Pakistan and China acting in tandem against India. Besides, none of the other observers such as the US, the EU, Japan or Iran have opposed an elevated role for China.

New Delhi’s assertion that there is no proposal for “expansion of SAARC” ignores the drift favouring greater engagement with observer nations, including China. The Kathmandu Declaration explicitly proposes “productive, demand-driven and objective project-based cooperation in priority areas as identified by member-states”.

Like the US, today, China is everyone’s neighbour. Like the US, China, has effective proxy players. China would be the elephant in the room at every SAARC summit. New Delhi has to accept this reality, and re-think and re-strategise for India to prevail as the cornerstone of SAARC.
The author is an independent political and foreign affairs commentator

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I laughed when Indians said that if Pakistan not happy with SAARC it can leave but I think eventually India will have to leave SAARC if they're not happy with China admission. As the author said the China admission issue is far from going away or being shelved, we look forward to be the member of 19th SAARC.

Nobody has stopped China from starting CHAARC submit. Why don't you start your own, you can contact everyone who wants to join you.

 

[dray]

this veto power might become stale if almost every other country starts favouring Chinese inclusion.
such drastic use of veto power will basically kill the essence of this organisation.

Veto power is veto power, 'stale' veto power is wishful thinking.

Any country wanting to do trade with china is free to do that anyway, but SAARC is meant for South Asian countries only.

And Pakistan single-handledly is vetoing/blocking almost everything in SAARC since its inception, if that did not kill the essence of this organisation, then India's objection to china won't kill it either.

 

[dray]

I dont know why Indians are not interested in China being part of SAARC. If you draw a line from Aksai Chin to Arunachal Pradesh, you will realize the land in between is actually Tibet and naturally it should be part of South Asia. Since Tibet is an autonomous region of China, the benefit should extend to China. If our northern neighbour is keen on joining South Asian Supper, our hospitality demands that we should have them.

Secondly, if entry of China to SAARC means India gets free access to Afghanistan and thereby Central Asia, its worth any bet. China anyways has land access with Af-Pak, Nepal and Bhutan and BD, SL, Maldives have straight sea routes with China. So opening Indian borders to SAARC nations will not have much impact but it will be big thing for Afghanistan and India. Also trade between China and a third country via Arunachal will cement the legitimacy of Arunachal Pradesh as Indian Territory.

1. China has observer status in SAARC, so they can enjoy South Asian supper and hospitality, but let's not bundle the SAARC membership with VETO POWER as part of the bufet and serve them on a platter, their PROXY is already creating enough problem in SAARC, no need to enhance the problem.

2. Trade can happen and is happening anyway, neither China wants the member status in SAARC for 'trade', nor India is denying it for 'trade', it is not about trade to start with.

3. We don't need to further cement the legitimacy of Arunachal Pradesh, we consider it curved on stone, anybody disputing it won't change the ground realities.

 

[Irfan Baloch]

Veto power is veto power, 'stale' veto power is wishful thinking.

Any country wanting to do trade with china is free to do that anyway, but SAARC is meant for South Asian countries only.

And Pakistan single-handledly is vetoing/blocking almost everything in SAARC since its inception, if that did not kill the essence of this organisation, then India's objection to china won't kill it either.

you contradict your own statement#
and since there are 3 more countries that wish China's full membership so the spoil sport here is the frightened India. if its all about goodness of economics and trade and what not then why so scared of China? it will like to do the same as India only better thats all

 

[dray]

the best solution should be to kick india out of SAARC, then everyone in the region will be happy except india, which could continure its lonely super power dream.

1. How do you propose to 'kick' India out of SAARC when India is continuously and repeatedly 'kicking' you out of SAARC?

2. What is left of South Asia without India? Skipping studies to post in internet forums?

 

[Green Arrow]

I think with the inclusion of China, SAARC will become more effective organization.

 

[Razia Sultana]

1. China has observer status in SAARC, so they can enjoy South Asian supper and hospitality, but let's not bundle the SAARC membership with VETO POWER as part of the bufet and serve them on a platter, their PROXY is already creating enough problem in SAARC, no need to enhance the problem.

2. Trade can happen and is happening anyway, neither China wants the member status in SAARC for 'trade', nor India is denying it for 'trade', it is not about trade to start with.

3. We don't need to further cement the legitimacy of Arunachal Pradesh, we consider it curved on stone, anybody disputing it won't change the ground realities.

SAARC is anyways a defunct organization. My thought was that since we got Afghanistan into SAARC fold and Pakistan can allow transit for Afghanistan and Central Asia, getting China will be worth the deal. India otherwise has bilateral relations will all SAARC nations except Pakistan, so its functioning or otherwise, with or without China wont affect us.

 

[dray]

you contradict your own statement#
and since there are 3 more countries that wish China's full membership so the spoil sport here is the frightened India. if its all about goodness of economics and trade and what not then why so scared of China? it will like to do the same as India only better thats all

"Veto power is veto power, and Pakistan single-handledly is vetoing/blocking almost everything in SAARC since its inception" - Where is the contradiction?

Kids argue using the words like 'scared' and 'frightened', we should not use such childish words while debating about foreign policies. And our foreign policies are formulated to forward our interests, not others.

 

[dray]

we are not a member of SAARC, how could india kick China out of it? moron.
without india, SAARC will be a better SAARC cause everyone in this aera hate you and don't care about you, and they all support China.

From the doors of SAARC membership that is, moron.

 

[dray]

SAARC is anyways a defunct organization. My thought was that since we got Afghanistan into SAARC fold and Pakistan can allow transit for Afghanistan and Central Asia, getting China will be worth the deal. India otherwise has bilateral relations will all SAARC nations except Pakistan, so its functioning or otherwise, with or without China wont affect us.

As you said, SAARC's functioning or otherwise, with or without China wont affect us, but greater role of China in SA will. I think the disadvantages outweighs the advantages. Add to that, there is no guarantee of the transit, and even if there is, Pakistan can simply sabotage it with militant threats rendering it pointless.

 

[Kyusuibu Honbu]

the best solution should be to kick india out of SAARC, then everyone in the region will be happy except india, which could continure its lonely super power dream.

China as an observer, is welcome to propose the above

 

[Razia Sultana]

As you said, SAARC's functioning or otherwise, with or without China wont affect us, but greater role of China in SA will. I think the disadvantages outweighs the advantages. Add to that, there is no guarantee of the transit, and even if there is, Pakistan can simply sabotage it with militant threats rendering it pointless.

China already has her feet in South Asia. All our neighbours except Bhutan play China card with us. They are sovereign nations so we cant do anything more than telling them our concerns. If India does not get access to Afghanistan then there is no point in SAARC forget about China joining it.