Knowra South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is an intergovernmental organization founded in 1985 to promote cooperation among South Asian countries.
SAARC Charter : The founding treaty that sets out SAARC’s objectives, principles, and institutional framework. It establishes cooperation and unanimity while excluding bilateral and contentious issues from deliberations.
Ziaur Rahman : The president of Bangladesh who proposed regional cooperation among South Asian countries in 1980. His proposal initiated the diplomatic process that led to SAARC’s creation.
Indira Gandhi : India’s prime minister for much of 1966–1984, who led India during early discussions of South Asian cooperation. India’s participation was indispensable to the proposed association, despite concerns about regional power imbalances.
Association of Southeast Asian Nations : A regional organization founded in 1967 to promote cooperation among Southeast Asian states. ASEAN developed deeper economic and institutional ties than SAARC despite its own consensus-based diplomacy.
South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation#1 : An official publication documenting SAARC’s activities, programs, and institutional work over a reporting year. Annual reports show how the organization’s agenda translates into ongoing programs.
SAARC Secretariat : The organization’s permanent administrative body, based in Kathmandu, Nepal. It coordinates the meetings and programs through which member states pursue SAARC’s objectives.
Dhaka Declaration : The declaration adopted at SAARC’s first summit in Dhaka in December 1985. It formally launched the association and stated its initial regional agenda.
Rajiv Gandhi : India’s prime minister from 1984 to 1989 and a participant in SAARC’s early development. His government helped establish the organization’s initial summit process.
European Union : A political and economic union whose members share institutions and parts of their lawmaking authority. Unlike the EU, SAARC does not exercise supranational authority over its member states.
South Asian Free Trade Area#1 : Trade among South Asian countries, shaped in part by regional agreements and national trade policies. Intraregional trade remains a central measure of SAARC’s economic ambitions and constraints.
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