Pakistan's New Regional Bloc: A SAARC Replacement in the Making, But Can It Succeed Without India?
As per analysts, Pakistan's plan is unlikely to gain traction without India, whose economic and strategic weight continues to anchor the South Asian region. | World News
Pakistan is pushing for a new regional bloc to replace the dormant South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), but analysts warn that its chances of success are slim without India's participation. The proposed grouping, which would expand the existing trilateral mechanism with Bangladesh and China, aims to promote open and inclusive regionalism in South Asia.
Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar recently stated that the country plans to "expand and replicate" the trilateral initiative, which held its first meeting in Kunming in June. Dar argued that South Asia cannot continue to be trapped in "zero-sum mindsets, political fragmentation, and dysfunctional regional architecture.
