SAARC: Is it time to role up and say goodbye to it?

[wolfschanzze]

I would be happy if Bangladesh left SAARC. It provides us with zero benefits, so leaving a dead dohdoh of an organisation would save us a lot more time to concentrate on more effective organisations.

Good, then why are your leaders in their infinite wisdom didnt consider your suggestion? Why havent they left SAARC?

 

[Bong]

Pakistan has nothing to do in SAARC. So better leave. Always creates problems.

 

[kinsr]

First thing SAARC is all about South-Asians countries with common culture as India's. How much, the Pakistanis or Bangladeshis cry that they are not part of the same cultural group, but they are. India/Pakistan/Bangladesh share the common values, language(Urdu/Bengali), food, literature, music and historically they been part of the 'Indian Subcontinent'. The idea of SAARC was the extension of same commonality to business and other resource sharing.

And, now anybody proposing China as South-Asian should be out of his/her mind, as neither China shares any cultural values or food, music, literature, language and never been part of the 'Indian Subcontinent'. Neither China can provide any benefits to any of the members by being in SAARC.

Now coming to benefits of SAARC, just as I said before, its more about sharing our resources. The first thing that was proposed yesterday was a direct land route to all the member states among each other. A land route where Bangladesh can supply fish directly to Pakistan/Nepal, while Pakistan selling its mangoes and basmati to all over the Indian subcontinent. Pakistani business community is one of the largest one to operate from Bangladesh where many garment export houses are owned and operated by Pakistanis. With a free land route, these business cans be streamlined by the supply of Indian cotton/silk. Bangladesh can have direct access to the Arabian Sea, through a faster land route, while Pakistan can have direct access to Chittagong port to promote its business in SE Asia. Of course Indian business houses will benefit more out this arrangement but then Pakistan/Bangladesh/Sri Lanka are ready to sell themselves to Chinese, far more cheaply than to Indians, then why not to Indians as you can extract more from India by not being hostile to us.

The other proposal was setting up of common Electricity grid. This grid would have majorly benefited power deficit countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh & Nepal, where any surplus electricity produced would have been supplied to neighboring countries. As a matter of fact we would have been upgrading our generation system keeping in mind the supply to neighboring countries. Bangladesh/Bhutan/Nepal are already reaping the benefits of Indian Electricity grid. Can China offer this as a member of SAARC?

Then there was Space co-operation, co-operation in Health-care, Education, Culture. The list is endless but then you need to have an open mind.

 

[Luffy 500]

First thing SAARC is all about South-Asians countries with common culture as India's. How much, the Pakistanis or Bangladeshis cry that they are not part of the same cultural group, but they are. India/Pakistan/Bangladesh share the common values, language(Urdu/Bengali), food, literature, music and historically they been part of the 'Indian Subcontinent'.

Muslims have nothing common with pagans. There is a reason BD and PAK are not part of pagan India.

The idea of SAARC was the extension of same commonality to business and other resource sharing.

Business have nothing to do with culture. Pagan India have a thriving business relation with West and china.

And, now anybody proposing China as South-Asian should be out of his/her mind, as neither China shares any cultural values or food, music, literature, language and never been part of the 'Indian Subcontinent'. Neither China can provide any benefits to any of the members by being in SAARC.

U r contradicting your self. Business have nothing to do with culture and commonality.

And any tom dick or harry saying that china can't offer S.asians anything should consult a psychiatrist.

Now coming to benefits of SAARC, just as I said before, its more about sharing our resources. The first thing that was proposed yesterday was a direct land route to all the member states among each other. A land route where Bangladesh can supply fish directly to Pakistan/Nepal, while Pakistan selling its mangoes and basmati to all over the Indian subcontinent. Pakistani business community is one of the largest one to operate from Bangladesh where many garment export houses are owned and operated by Pakistanis. With a free land route, these business cans be streamlined by the supply of Indian cotton/silk. Bangladesh can have direct access to the Arabian Sea, through a faster land route, while Pakistan can have direct access to Chittagong port to promote its business in SE Asia. Of course Indian business houses will benefit more out this arrangement but then Pakistan/Bangladesh/Sri Lanka are ready to sell themselves to Chinese, far more cheaply than to Indians, then why not to Indians as you can extract more from India by not being hostile to us.

India is the regional hegemon with a mindset to subjugate and exploit S.asia. Its the root of all evil of S.asia. Its the cancer of the region that sponsors instability and interferes in the internal affairs of surrounding countries. Its a no-brainier that India's interest will never align with the interest of its neighbors. Such notion deifies the fundamentals of political science. India is too big and powerful for its interest to be same as its small neighbors. Even India doesn't believe that and for them regional cooperation means neighbors subjugated to Indian interests.

India's size is the major impediment to success of SAARC. SAARC was designed to fail given the hegemonic nature and size of India. A fragmented India with many independent smaller countries or inclusion of china would have made more sense though.

The other proposal was setting up of common Electricity grid. This grid would have majorly benefited power deficit countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh & Nepal, where any surplus electricity produced would have been supplied to neighboring countries. As a matter of fact we would have been upgrading our generation system keeping in mind the supply to neighboring countries.

Its lunacy to depend on India for such a vital commodity as electricity.

Bangladesh/Bhutan/Nepal are already reaping the benefits of Indian Electricity grid. Can China offer this as a member of SAARC?

Nepal and bhutan r pagan states themselves and culturally similar to India. As for BD we don't even have a elected gov but a Indian stooge regime that have no choice but to serve Indian interest. Its a good example of the type of relation India maintains with its neighbors.

Recently we paid the price for maggot hasina's indian bootlicking. The grid connection with india (BD only imports 500 MW) failed resulting in a nation wide shutdown of power.

Then there was Space co-operation, co-operation in Health-care, Education, Culture. The list is endless but then you need to have an open mind.

India have to compete with china for selling such things to neighbors. S.asia is NOT pagan India's backyard as N.america is to US. At least not BD and PAK. Whining abt culture and sugar coating your malicious intent won't help u in this regard.

 

[timetravel]

Who has stopped any country from leaving SAARC. Whoever does not like it can go ahead and withdraw.

I propose that those suggesting to cancel this, should convince their govts. to withdraw themselves.

@Luffy 500 so when can I expect you to convince BD govt to leave SAARC?

or better why don't you hold meeting with your Pak brothers and gather like minded people to convince your govts. to form SAARC - India. Who is stopping you??

Why shedding so many tears here. Why pleading/begging in front of Indians. If you believe majority of B/D share your views, then go convince your govt. But you know why you cannot do that. Coz nobody in your country cares for ppl like you. You are a tiny insignificant anti-development and extremist mindset minority in your own country. No one gives two hoots to you in your own country. lol

 

[HRK]

First thing SAARC is all about South-Asians countries with common culture as India's.

Actually the problem is that the Indian see SAARC as the extension of their idea of 'Greater India'.

The above quoted sentence is just an example which very much reveal the of psychological approach of Indian Nation toward this 'REGIONAL ASSOCIATION'

Following the link of SAARC 'CHARTER, OBJECTIVES, PRINCIPLES' which does not support anything said in the quoted post

South Asian Association For Regional Cooperation | SAARC Charter

 

[timetravel]

@HRK dear, still paranoid about India taking over Pak or Hindus ending Islam in Pak. Seriously?? I thought you had nukes and feel secure from India. or am i wrong !!

and is Islam still in danger even when Pak is a separate country from India? Really, is that what you fear?? I hope not, coz that's totally crazy.

All India wants is economic development for region and itself in the process. The world today is about economic development.

 

[Sriram]

Nearly thirty years of existance, and not one significant achievement. This is by far the least effective institute ever concieved. Time to let it die....The sooner the better.

OIC trumps SAARC in uselessness

 

[HRK]

@HRK dear, still paranoid about India taking over Pak or Hindus ending Islam in Pak. Seriously?? I thought you had nukes and feel secure from India. or am i wrong !!

and is Islam still in danger even when Pak is a separate country from India? Really, is that what you fear?? I hope not, coz that's totally crazy.

plz don't post nonsense.

All India wants is economic development for region and itself in the process. The world today is about economic development.

hamko maluum hai jannat ki haqeeqat lekin...
dil ko khush rakhne ko Ghalib ye khayal acha...

 

[timetravel]

plz don't post nonsense.

you posted the map to imply India wants to create a bigger India.

hamko maluum hai jannat ki haqeeqat lekin...
dil ko khush rakhne ko Ghalib ye khayal acha...

why always thinking negative. Modi means business.

 

[Kambojaric]

India's size is the major impediment to success of SAARC.

Thats the main reason behind SAARCS failure. ASEAN for example is made up of more states than SAARC but most of them are comparatively of a similar size and stature and the larger states like Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia have behaved very responsibly (for example solving their issues through talks and the courts rather than going to war or supporting militants/terrorists in each others countries
INTERNATIONAL COURT FINDS THAT SOVEREIGNTY OVER ISLANDS OF LIGITAN AND SIPADAN BELONGS TO MALAYSIA | Meetings Coverage and Press Releases SAARC however has a huge blob of India in the middle and in comparison tiny countries on its peripheries like Bhutan, Nepal etc. Pakistan is the only country that is comparably able to stand up to India and look at India's behaviour towards it. It doesnt take a genious to know hence why SAARC has been such a failure. Ultimately Bangladesh and Sri Lanka should look towards greater integration with ASEAN and Pakistan with Central/West Asia.

 

[SarthakGanguly]

Thats the main reason behind SAARCS failure. ASEAN for example is made up of more states than SAARC but most of them are comparatively of a similar size and stature and the larger states like Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia have behaved very responsibly (for example solving their issues through talks and the courts rather than going to war or supporting militants/terrorists in each others countries
INTERNATIONAL COURT FINDS THAT SOVEREIGNTY OVER ISLANDS OF LIGITAN AND SIPADAN BELONGS TO MALAYSIA | Meetings Coverage and Press Releases SAARC however has a huge blob of India in the middle and in comparison tiny countries on its peripheries like Bhutan, Nepal etc. Pakistan is the only country that is comparably able to stand up to India and look at India's behaviour towards it. It doesnt take a genious to know hence why SAARC has been such a failure. Ultimately Bangladesh and Sri Lanka should look towards greater integration with ASEAN and Pakistan with Central/West Asia.

That is a possibility. But Pakistan had been trying to 'bleed India through a thousand cuts' for some time. So the fact that India is still united is Pakistan's failure. Don't put that on us.

Secondly, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka etc all signed deals with India and inked further cooperation. Only Pakistan has practically detached itself from the SAARC and moving towards Central/West Asia. Personally I also believe that's where Pakistan should be focusing on. It has more things in common there than in the East.

 

[Narashima]

Pakistan lies in middle east. It has nothing to do with south asia.

India should look east.

 

[damiendehorn]

First thing SAARC is all about South-Asians countries with common culture as India's. How much, the Pakistanis or Bangladeshis cry that they are not part of the same cultural group, but they are. India/Pakistan/Bangladesh share the common values, language(Urdu/Bengali), food, literature, music and historically they been part of the 'Indian Subcontinent'. The idea of SAARC was the extension of same commonality to business and other resource sharing.

And, now anybody proposing China as South-Asian should be out of his/her mind, as neither China shares any cultural values or food, music, literature, language and never been part of the 'Indian Subcontinent'. Neither China can provide any benefits to any of the members by being in SAARC.

What has a Bangladeshi got in common with an indian apart from skin colour...nothing. Does a Bangladeshi eat the same food as an indian from Gujarat, Tamil nadu or punjab? Does a Banngladeshi speak the same language as a indian from kerala, Maharashtra, or Bihar? Do we listen to the same music, follow the same religion? NO.

This is just a load of bull period.....Common cultural group, BULL, a load of bull...India is a majority hindu nation, with a right wing hindu government in charge, where as Bangladesh has a majority Muslim population and a secular government.

What clutural value does a Bangladeshi share with an indian that he or she does not share with a Chinese? China is a major investor, trading partner and defence supplier....what does india offer thats trumps china?

 

[Bong]

What has a Bangladeshi got in common with an indian apart from skin colour...nothing. Does a Bangladeshi eat the same food as an indian from Gujarat, Tamil nadu or punjab? Does a Banngladeshi speak the same language as a indian from kerala, Maharashtra, or Bihar? Do we listen to the same music, follow the same religion? NO.

This is just a load of bull period.....Common cultural group, BULL, a load of bull...India is a majority hindu nation, with a right wing hindu government in charge, where as Bangladesh has a majority Muslim population and a secular government.

What clutural value does a Bangladeshi share with an indian that he or she does not share with a Chinese? China is a major investor, trading partner and defence supplier....what does india offer thats trumps china?

Comeon BD has many things common with the Indian Eastern side.
India had many things to offer. India is just tensed with the potentiality BD got.
BD can go well without India. All it made Bangladeshis enemy of it because of its selfishness. Its strategy is to show BD week so that it can portray its states that a small country cant survive well without indian grace.