ABSTRACT
Although the idea of SARC was discussed by South Asian leaders from time to time in the post-independence period, the concrete initiatives for establishing a comprehensive regional organization in South Asia came only in the late 1970s. After examining the earlier attempts for regional cooperation by South Asian leaders, this chapter explores the important domestic, regional, and external factors that led President Ziaur Rahman of Bangladesh to take some concrete steps for regional cooperation in South Asia in 1977. Examining the dynamics of domestic politics and the interrelationship between domestic and regional politics, this chapter explains why smaller states in South Asia – Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka – were more enthusiastic for regional cooperation and why India and Pakistan were initially reluctant to join the regional grouping. It examines the domestic and external factors that led to changes in India’s and Pakistan’s decision in favor of joining the regional association. This chapter then provides an overview and evaluation of SAARC’s record in terms of institutional developments and program implementation.
