Role of SAARC in Tension Diffusion between Pakistan and India

Abstract

South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is one of the earliest regional platforms in South Asia where both India and Pakistan share its membership. There exists substantial potential for regional collaboration to expand development prospects in terms of social and commercial opportunities across South Asia. The logic behind regional cooperation among the members of SAARC lies in the opportunities it pitches to its member states in the spheres of economic expansionism, management of shared possessions, trade and investment. But the fact is that both India and Pakistan has constantly adopted the attitude of animosity which remained a huge impediment in the way of realizing SAARC’s declared goals for the accomplishment of enduring cooperation. This research paper primarily focuses on prospects of tension escalation between Pakistan and India under the banner of SAARC and to study systematically the deterrents in a way of peaceful coexistence between the two rival neighbors since the establishment of SAARC 1985. The data for this paper has been collected from secondary sources through qualitative approach. The objective of this study is to pinpoint the strengths and weaknesses of SAARC in terms of realization of its designed goals and to determine some feasible prospects of generating maximum trust and confidence between Islamabad and New Delhi.

Key Words: Regionalism, South Asia, Animosity, Cooperation, weaknesses, Potentials.