The SAARC continues to stumble along in its difficult path to forge regional integration. South Asian countries should instead go for bilateralism and sub-regionalism targeting East Asia.

Since its inception in 1985, the effectiveness of the South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) – comprising Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Maldives, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka – to promote economic integration in South Asia has been questioned. One of the biggest impediments to SAARC’s progress has been the continued conflict between nuclear-powered India and Pakistan.

This time around, because of repeated announcements by the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi of the need to reinvigorate relations with neighbouring countries, there was hope that some positive results would come out of the recently concluded 18th SAARC Summit held in Kathmandu on 26-27 November 2014.

…Pradumna B. Rana is Associate Professor at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore.