Mohammad Golam Sarwar, the Secretary General of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc), has recently concluded a significant five-day visit to Bharat. During his visit, Sarwar engaged in discussions with senior Bharatiya officials to evaluate the state of regional cooperation and assess the functioning of institutions under the Saarc umbrella.
Sarwar’s itinerary included meetings with key figures such as Jaideep Mazumder, Secretary (East) of the Ministry of External Affairs, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra, and Minister of State for External Affairs Rajkumar Ranjan Singh.
These discussions marked Sarwar’s inaugural official visit to any member state of Saarc since assuming the role of Secretary General in July 2023.
Saarc, comprising Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Bharat, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, serves as a platform for fostering collaboration and addressing common challenges among South Asian nations.
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The focal point of Sarwar’s interactions with Bharatiya authorities revolved around various facets of regional cooperation within Saarc. The Bharatiya Ministry of External Affairs emphasized Bharat’s steadfast commitment to promoting growth and prosperity in South Asia through Saarc initiatives.
Bharat reiterated its dedication to fostering closer ties among the people of the region and highlighted its proactive efforts towards this goal.
During his visit, Sarwar also took the opportunity to visit the South Asian University (SAU), an institution established by the eight Saarc member states and hosted by Bharat in New Delhi. At SAU, he engaged in discussions with President KK Aggarwal, where he gained insights into the university’s operations, newly introduced programs, and prospects for future development.
Sarwar lauded SAU as one of Saarc’s most successful endeavors and expressed gratitude to the Indian government for its support. He underscored the institution’s vital role in providing quality education and fostering cooperation among students from diverse backgrounds across the region.
Saarc has faced challenges in recent years, particularly since the 2016 summit in Islamabad, which saw Bharat, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Bhutan opting out due to concerns over cross-border terrorism and interference in member states’ internal affairs by Pakistan.
This decision led to a stagnation of Saarc’s activities as per the bloc’s charter, which mandates unanimous decision-making.
Responding to the impasse, Bharat has pursued alternative avenues for regional cooperation, including initiatives with countries in South Asia through groupings like the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (Bimstec) and the Bangladesh, Bhutan, Bharat, Nepal (BBIN) framework.
Despite challenges, efforts to strengthen regional ties persist, with Saarc remaining a crucial forum for dialogue and collaboration among South Asian countries.
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