Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'SAARC needs India’s enlightened leadership' that was published in Newsband

SAARC needs India’s enlightened leadership

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has won praise for several foreign policy initiatives. Modi’s decision to invite the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) leaders to his swearing-in ceremony was a good one. The SAARC invitation came when India was at a low ebb with all its neighbours. 18th SAARC summit’s theme was “regional integration”.

The interesting thing that happened during this event was that Modi ignored Nawaz Sharif as the latter walked up to the podium during the inaugural session. This may be because Pakistan has much to answer for when it comes to tackling terror. Next, China’s attempt to enter the SAARC grouping was opposed successfully by India.

 SAARC is made up of very small nations (barring Pakistan). As a large nation, it is incumbent upon India to lead like Modi's India is doing now.  Smaller countries respect countries not because of their size but because of leadership they provide due to large resources available to it. If a large country like India fails to provide leadership, then another larger country (like China) will move in and include these countries in its sphere of influence as it has been doing by taking huge contracts in each of these.

Neighbour is a neighbor forever. India and Pak have to resolve their problems bilaterally. Geography can not change. Enlightened Leadership can and do make History. Let us wish our Prime MInister Modi enter enlightened leadership team. Everything can be replaced except one's neighbours. Yes lets acknowledge the fact that we are in midst of poor developing nations. Yes we aspire to be a superpower.

On one hand, India wants to be more than just close, together, with the SAARC members on the other hand its relations with Pakistan doesn't seem to improve. The bilateral differences between member states have been hampering the growth at the multilateral platform. Until, we sort out our differences with Pakistan, SAARC is not likely to prosper. The objectives envisaged can only be achieved if there is bilateral peace. On the same grounds, India's objection to China's entry is justified.

China’s customary anti-Indian tie-up with several South Asian countries is already a fact. India should quietly work with each of its neighbours with generosity and strict non-interference in their internal matters. In due time, South Asian countries will see what is good for them and who can benefit them more, next door India or China on the other side of Himalayas.

Pakistan and China do not want India to prosper. It is time SAARC ejects Pakistan out, or India and other South Asian nations form their own grouping without Pakistan and move forward. That is the only way. There is no point in working with Pakistan in any forum or venture as long as Pakistan is controlled by military and China.

India has to play an important role, and be appreciated by our much smaller neighbours. Otherwise, China is already wooing one and all. To counter the influence of China in Indian subcontinent India must tread carefully.

SAARC is not just another regional cooperation mechanism. It is a reflection of the hopes of a fifth of humanity to development and social justice. We need to learn to accept our differences of opinion, keep the contentious issues at talking level and push for other cooperative agenda into action. The pessimism about SAARC needs to be set aside and positive energy poured into it through enlightened political leadership.