SAARC is an intergovernmental organization of 8 South Asian nations established in 1985. It aims to promote economic and regional integration. Key achievements include establishing SAFTA to reduce customs duties and the SAARC visa exemption scheme. However, political differences between members like India and Pakistan have hindered cooperation. Inequality among members and lack of infrastructure also pose challenges to realizing SAARC's economic goals.

2. Introduction Of SAARC
• The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is regional
intergovernmental organization and geopolitical organization of eight South Asia
nations
• SAARC compromises 3% of the world's area, 21% of the world's population and
9.12% of the global economy, as of 2015
• SAARC maintains permanent diplomatic relations at the UN as an observer and
has developed links with multilateral entities, including the EU
• India and Pakistan have often clouded the union's potential and progress

3. History
• 1980 the concept of regional political and economic cooperation in
South Asia was first thought of and fired the public imagination.
• The idea was discussed in three major conferences: Asian Relations
Conference (New Delhi), Baguio Conference (Philippines) and Colombo
Powers Conference (Sri Lanka), which were held between 1947 and 1954
• The first SAARC summit was held in Dhaka on 8 December 1985, when
the organization was established
• Afghanistan is the only new inclusion that happened since SAARC was
established

4. Agreements
• Establishment of SAARC Arbitration Council
• Avoidance of Double Taxation
• Customs Matters
• Establishing the SAARC food bank
• SAFTA(South Asian Free Trade Area)
• SARSO(South Asian Regional Standards
Organization
• Energy Cooperation(Electricity)
• Chapter of SDF 31 july 2008

5. Organisational structure
for SAARC
 The SAARC comprises following layers of organizational
structure:
1.Council
 At the top, there is the Council represented by the heads of
the government of the member countries. The council the
apex policy making body. It meets once in 2 years time.
2. Council of Minister
 It is to assist the council. It is represented by the foreign
minister of the member countries.
 Its functions include:
 Formulation of policies
 Review of functioning
 Deciding new areas of cooperation
 Decide about general issues of common of interest of the
SAARC member.

6. Organisational structure
for SAARC
3. Standing Committee
 It is comprised by the foreign secretariat of the member
government. Its major functions are:
 To monitor and co-ordinate the programs
 To determine inter-sectored priorities.
 To mobilize cooperation within and outside the region
 To deal with the modalities of financing.
4. Programming Committee:
 It consist of the senior official of the member governments.
 Its functions include:
 Scrutinizing the budget of the secretarial.
 Finalizing the annual schedule.
 External activities assigned by the standing committee.
 Analyses the respects of the technical committee.

7. Organisational structure
for SAARC
5. Technical Committee:
 It consist of the represented of the member nations.
 Its function are:
 To formulate project and programmer
 To monitor and execute the projects
 To submit reports.
 The Technical Committee convers the areas such as:
Agriculture, Communication, Environment, Rural
Development, Health and Population, Science and
Technology, Tourism and Transport.

8. Organisational structure
for SAARC
6. Secretarial:
 The SAARC secretarial is located in Nepal.
 Its function include:
 Coordination, execution and monitoring of SAARC activities
 Servicing the SAARC meetings
 Work as communication link between the SAARC and other
international forum.
 The secretariats is headed by the secretary-General appointed by the
Council of Ministers. These are 8 Director (One from each member
nation) and the general service staff.

9. Achievements of SAARC
1. SAFTA
A Free Trade Agreement confined to goods, but excluding all services like
information technology. Agreement was signed to reduce customs duties of all
traded goods to zero by the year 2016.
2. SAPTA
South Asia Preferential Trading Agreement for promoting trade amonst the
member countries came into effect in 1995.
3. SAARC visa exemption decided that certain categories of dignitaries should
be entitled to a Special Travel document, which would exempt them from visas
within the region.
4. Greater cultural co-operation
5. Advantages To Least Developed Countries
It has provided forum for bilateral and regional agreements to the small poor
nations for collaboration among themselves for development.

10. Limitations of SAARC
1. Domination of India
India has 70% area amongst all SAARC countries. Also remaining small countries
does not share border with each others except for Pakistan- Afghanistan.
2. Political differences
The political differences had deep negative impact on the political will to realize
the economic cooperation and integration.
3. Inequality among members
The member states except India have still not reached the take-off stage to be able
to pursue the program of economic integration and collaboration.

11. Continue…..
4. The South Asia Preferential Trading Agreement (SAPTA) was signed in the 7th
summit at Dhaka in April 93, but it has not yet been operationalized. The proposal
to establish South Asian Food Reserve and South Asian Development Fund have
also met the same fate. Similarly declarations on enhancing political cooperation
and promotion of mutual trust and understanding reiterated in each summit have
registered limited success.
5. SAARC charter excludes bilateral and contentious issues discussion on forum
6. Obstructionist policies of Pakistan has created problems in economic cooperation
7. No progress in road and rail connectivity which is obstacle for trade.
8. Most of the countries are poor except for India and lack full fledged democratic
structure.