M A I N   N E W S

PM move to connect SAARC hits Pak bump
Modi says India keen on boosting link, trade
Sharif blocks signing of key agreements
KV Prasad in Kathmandu

November 26
Seeking to undo the perception of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) that differences among its member-states drag its progress, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today promised India’s willingness to take a lead in increasing connectivity and trade among the countries of the region.

Yet, the optimism Prime Minister Modi sought to generate at the 18th Summit and his first here for the eight-country grouping by announcing a slew of measures was overtaken by attempts by Pakistan to block singing of pacts — railways and motor vehicles — to increase connectivity through the region.

As reported, Pakistan said its “internal process” was not complete on it, a move that led to disappointment. A window of opportunity remains open on a third pact of trade in energy during informal ‘Retreat’ tomorrow.

Articulating his SAARC vision, the Prime Minister said: “Ours is a region of thriving democracy; of rich inheritance; the unmatched strength of the youth; and a strong thirst for change and progress”, juxtaposing with the slow pace of collective moves to go forward observing: “Yet, when we speak of SAARC, we usually hear two reactions – cynicism and scepticism. This, sadly, is in a region throbbing with the optimism of our youth”.

At a time when other regions were working on arrangements to promote trade and integration, SAARC, he said, today accounted for less than 5 per cent of the regional’s global trade and less than 10 per cent of the region’s internal trade under SAARC Free Trade Area.

The Prime Minister said it was still harder to travel within the region than to Bangkok or Singapore or more expensive to speak to each other. “How much have we done in SAARC to turn our natural wealth into shared prosperity; or, our borders into bridgeheads to a shared future?”

Stating that each member country would have to take own initiatives, he said SAARC had failed to move with the speed with which the people expect. Countering the argument that development gap could be the reason, he said that should actually “spur us to do more”.

“Or, is it because we are stuck behind the walls of our differences and hesitant to move out of the shadows of the past? This won't resolve our differences, but will certainly deprive us of opportunities. Today, goods travel from one Punjab to the other Punjab through Delhi, Mumbai, Dubai and Karachi – making the journey eleven times longer and the cost four times more.”

During his speech, Modi recalled “endless pain of the lost lives” in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack on the day in 2008 and urged the need to work together to fulfil the pledge taken to combat terrorism and trans-national crimes.

Elaborating on what New Delhi would do to promote cooperation and trade in the region, Modi said India wanted to set up a Special Purpose Facility to finance infrastructure projects in the region and promised to ensure that the facilities at the border would speed up trade.

He announced that India would give a business visa for three to five years for SAARC suggesting a SAARC Business Traveller Card by all member-states. In health, he said, medical visa would be issued for a patient and an attendant to travel to India, adding India would meet the shortfall in funds to establish SAARC regional reference laboratory for TB and HIV.