Pakistan, Backed By Its Friend China, Pushes For South Asian Bloc Without India: What Is It And Will It Work?

Pakistan wants to challenge India’s long-time influence in South Asian politics with a new plan to reshape regional alliances. Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar recently said that Islamabad wants to expand its trilateral initiative with Bangladesh and China to include more countries in the region and beyond. 

However, experts believe it will be difficult for Pakistan to build any grouping that does not include India, given New Delhi’s strong economy and its role as a crisis manager in the region.

Last week, Dar suggested forming a new regional organisation to replace the inactive South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, or SAARC. His comments come at a time of rising tensions between India and Pakistan, especially after a four-day military clash in May. Dar said South Asia cannot afford to remain stuck in “zero-sum mindsets” and political divisions. He claimed Pakistan wants “open and inclusive regionalism” and a South Asia where disputes are resolved peacefully and economies grow together.

Pakistan, Bangladesh, and China created a trilateral group earlier this year to increase cooperation. Their first meeting was held in June in Kunming. Dar hinted that this group could be expanded and suggested that regional initiatives should not be held back by any country’s “rigidity”, in what appeared to be a comment aimed at India.

SAARC was formed in 1985 with India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives as members. Afghanistan joined in 2007. The organisation aimed to boost economic growth and cultural development across South Asia. But SAARC has been largely inactive since 2014. A planned summit in Islamabad in 2016 was cancelled after India blamed Pakistan for the terrorist attack in Uri. Since then, India has increased its focus on BIMSTEC, a grouping that does not include Pakistan.

According to NDTV, experts say the proposal is still more of an idea than a workable plan. They believe that no country will join a group that risks creating political tensions with India. Analysts also note that India’s much larger economy and stronger global standing make it hard to imagine any South Asian cooperation model that leaves New Delhi out.