This document summarizes a presentation about the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). It discusses SAARC's objectives of promoting regional cooperation, economic growth, and social progress. It outlines some of SAARC's achievements, like reducing trade barriers and initiatives to address poverty. However, it also notes challenges like political tensions between members hampering cooperation. It concludes that while SAARC has achieved success in various areas, challenges remain that require cooperation from member states to realize its goals.

1. PRESENTATION
POL226 : INDIAS FOREIGN POLICY IN A GLOBALISING WORLD
TOPIC– SAARC : UNITING SOUTH ASIA
JAGADEESHS
12105440

2. SAARC: UNITING SOUTHASIA
 INTRODUCTION TO SAARC
 OBJECTIVES OF SAARC
 ACHIEVEMENTS OF SAARC
 CHALLENGES FACED BY SAARC
 FUTURE OF SAARC
 CONCLUSION

3. INTRODUCTIONTO SAARC
 THE SOUTH ASIAN ASSOCIATION FOR REGIONAL
COOPERATION (SAARC) IS AN INTERGOVERNMENTAL
ORGANIZATION THAT WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1985 WITH
THE AIM OF PROMOTING ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL
COOPERATION AMONG THE MEMBER STATES.
 THE MEMBER STATES OF SAARC INCLUDE
AFGHANISTAN, BANGLADESH, BHUTAN, INDIA,
MALDIVES, NEPAL, PAKISTAN, AND SRI LANKA. THE
HEADQUARTERS OF SAARC IS LOCATED IN
KATHMANDU, NEPAL.

4. OBJECTIVESOF SAARC
 THE MAIN OBJECTIVES OF SAARC INCLUDE PROMOTING
REGIONAL COOPERATION AND INTEGRATION,
ENHANCING ECONOMIC GROWTH AND SOCIAL
PROGRESS, AND IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN
THE REGION.
 TO ACHIEVE THESE OBJECTIVES, SAARC FOCUSES ON
AREAS SUCH AS TRADE, INVESTMENT, AGRICULTURE,
ENERGY, ENVIRONMENT, AND HUMAN RESOURCE
DEVELOPMENT.

5. ACHIEVEMENTSOF SAARC
 OVER THE YEARS, SAARC HAS MADE SIGNIFICANT
PROGRESS IN ACHIEVING ITS OBJECTIVES. THE
ORGANIZATION HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN REDUCING
TRADE BARRIERS AMONG ITS MEMBER STATES, WHICH
HAS LED TO INCREASED TRADE AND INVESTMENT IN THE
REGION.
 SAARC HAS ALSO INITIATED SEVERAL PROGRAMS TO
ADDRESS SOCIAL AND CULTURAL ISSUES IN THE REGION.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE ORGANIZATION HAS LAUNCHED
INITIATIVES TO COMBAT POVERTY, IMPROVE
HEALTHCARE, AND PROMOTE EDUCATION IN SOUTH ASIA.

6. CHALLENGESFACEDBY SAARC
 SAARC HAS FACED SEVERAL CHALLENGES IN
ACHIEVING ITS OBJECTIVES, INCLUDING POLITICAL
INSTABILITY, ECONOMIC DISPARITIES, AND SECURITY
CONCERNS. TENSIONS BETWEEN MEMBER COUNTRIES
HAVE ALSO HAMPERED REGIONAL COOPERATION AND
DEVELOPMENT.
 ONE OF THE MAJOR CHALLENGES FACED BY SAARC IS
THE LACK OF PROGRESS IN IMPLEMENTING
AGREEMENTS AND INITIATIVES. THIS HAS RESULTED IN
SLOW PROGRESS TOWARDS ACHIEVING THE
ORGANIZATION'S GOALS.

7. FUTUREOF SAARC
o THE FUTURE OF SAARC DEPENDS ON THE ABILITY OF
THE MEMBER STATES TO WORK TOGETHER TOWARDS
ACHIEVING COMMON GOALS.
o THERE IS A NEED FOR GREATER COOPERATION IN
AREAS SUCH AS ENERGY SECURITY, CLIMATE CHANGE,
AND REGIONAL CONNECTIVITY. SAARC ALSO NEEDS TO
ADDRESS THE CONCERNS OF SMALLER MEMBER
STATES AND ENSURE THAT ALL MEMBER STATES
BENEFIT EQUALLY FROM ITS INITIATIVES.

8. CONCLUSION
• IN CONCLUSION, SAARC HAS PLAYED AN
IMPORTANT ROLE IN PROMOTING REGIONAL
COOPERATION AND HAS ACHIEVED SIGNIFICANT
SUCCESS IN VARIOUS AREAS.
• HOWEVER, THERE ARE STILL CHALLENGES THAT
NEED TO BE ADDRESSED AND THE MEMBER
STATES NEED TO WORK TOGETHER TOWARDS A
BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR SOUTH ASIA.

9. REFERENCES
• "ABOUT SAARC". SAARC SECRETARIAT. ARCHIVED FROM THE ORIGINAL ON 11 NOVEMBER 2013.
RETRIEVED 11 NOVEMBER 2013
• CENTER, ASIA REGIONAL INTEGRATION. "SOUTH ASIAN FREE TRADE AREA FREE TRADE
AGREEMENT". ARIC.ADB.ORG. RETRIEVED 2 MARCH 2018.
• HISTORYAND MISSION OF SAARC". DAILY NEWS. COLOMBO. 1 AUGUST 2008. ARCHIVED FROM
THE ORIGINAL ON 10 NOVEMBER 2013. RETRIEVED 10 NOVEMBER 2013
• "SOUTH ASIAN ASSOCIATION FOR REGIONAL COOPERATION". SAARC SECRETARIAT. RETRIEVED 27
JUNE 2014.
• "SOUTH ASIAN ASSOCIATION FOR REGIONAL COOPERATION — SAARC AWARD". SAARC-SEC.ORG.

10. THANK YOU