3. What is SAARC;
The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is the
regional intergovernmental organization and geopolitical unionof states in South Asia.
Its member statesare Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan,India,
the Maldives,Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.SAARC comprises 3% of the world's area,
21% of the world's population and3.8% (US$2.9 trillion)[2] of the globaleconomy, as of
2015.
4. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND:
The idea of co-operationamong South Asian Countries was discussed in three
conferences: the Asian RelationsConference held in New Delhi on April 1947; the
Baguio Conference in the Philippineson May 1950; and the ColomboPowers
Conference held in Sri Lanka in April 1954