The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, popularly known as SAARC, has always got enough attention but it delivered much less than it should have. But still, SAARC is a flagship consortium of divergent interests and convergent idiosyncrasies in South Asia. For, it is how diplomacy works — getting people on table that would otherwise loathe each other’s presence.
SAARC has always been held hostage by two neighbours — India and Pakistan — and the mood of SAARC always mimics the texture of relationship between India and Pakistan; to an extent that it seems quite unfair to other SAARC members. However, in the just concluded SAARC meeting of Home Ministers, the home minister of Bangladesh was conspicuous by his absence; thus somehow expanding the list of disagreeing members.
Many in India hoped, and expected mostly by wisdom of hindsight, that India too should have boycotted or at-least nominated a proxy or a junior representative; so as to alienate Pakistan and send a terse message especially when India-Pakistan relationships are how they have been for the last 70 odd years — intermittent.
However, by sending the fully armoured Home Minister, India did what it must have. Diplomacy is poem, not rap music and the contrast between the conduct of India and Pakistan in this SAARC gathering showed the world who has the maturity and statesman like approach to international relations and who is still caught in the warp of skirmishes and pillow fights.
Allowing a UN designated terrorist to hold a massive rally does not belittle the visiting guest; it singularly damages the credibility of host nation beyond economic repair.
With this in background, there are many voices emanating in India and elsewhere in the South-Asian neighbourhood that SAARC should exclude Pakistan so that it can go on to do the intended business and achieve common goals; however that would be just convenient and reactive thinking.
Excluding Pakistan from SAARC helps no one but Pakistan for reasons such as: one, it absolves Pakistan of any accountability even moral if not real accountability towards SAARC vision, second — it helps Pakistan play a victim card and stitch a narrative that India has hegemonic designs and third, it further weakens the political leadership or whatever is left of it in Pakistan.
The question obviously arises what should India do?
Courtesy: Pat Guiney/CC BY 2.0India with other SAARC members should strengthen the framework of SAARC and ensure that all member-countries adhere to those agreed principles, and those who don't, stand out and exposed. It should ensure that rogue elements are put out to dry in the sun.
Second, India should (and it already is) create alternate group conversations such as BBIN (Bangladesh-Bhutan-India-Nepal
In conclusion, borrowing lines from this article and at the expense of sounding redundant, diplomacy is poem, not rap; where diplomacy, however, should learn from rap is in the speed of articulation, not necessarily vocabulary.
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Sunny has spent close to six years as a strategy consultant advising Fortune500 and fast-growing companies around their top-line growth agenda. He currently serves as ...
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