Pakistan and China explore forming new regional alliance to replace SAARC

Pakistan, China push for new regional bloc to replace SAARC

Pakistan and China are advancing a proposal to establish a new regional organisation that could effectively replace the now-dormant South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), diplomatic sources have confirmed.

Talks between Islamabad and Beijing have reached an advanced stage, with both sides convinced that a fresh platform is urgently needed to promote regional integration and connectivity.

The recent trilateral meeting involving Pakistan, China, and Bangladesh in Kunming on June 19 was a key part of these diplomatic efforts. Senior diplomats from all three nations participated in the talks, marking a rare engagement that reportedly drew India’s attention.

According to sources, the Kunming meeting aimed to lay the groundwork for a broader regional initiative by inviting other South Asian nations—formerly part of SAARC—to join the proposed grouping.

While India will be formally invited to join the new bloc, observers suggest it is unlikely to participate due to diverging strategic interests. In contrast, countries such as Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and Afghanistan are expected to show interest in the initiative.

The envisioned organisation would prioritise greater regional cooperation through enhanced trade, infrastructure, and connectivity.

If realised, the new grouping would mark the formal demise of SAARC, which once held the promise of becoming the "European Union of South Asia" but ultimately failed to meet its objectives due to long-standing tensions between India and Pakistan.

SAARC has not held a summit since 2014. A planned summit in Islamabad in 2016 was scrapped after India pulled out, followed by Bangladesh and others. At the time, Dhaka was governed by Sheikh Hasina’s pro-India administration.

Efforts to revive SAARC have since stalled, despite Pakistan’s repeated offers to host the summit. The bloc received another setback recently when India discontinued special visa privileges for Pakistani businessmen under the SAARC framework, following the Pahalgam terror attack.

Pakistan and China have been discussing the idea of a new regional architecture for months. They believe a coalition of like-minded countries could offer a more productive platform for cooperation.

India, meanwhile, appears increasingly at odds with other regional forums as well. Analysts note that New Delhi's strained alignment with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is evident in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s absence from the last two summits. The SCO—comprising China, Russia, Iran, Pakistan, and Central Asian states—is often seen as a counterweight to Western influence in the region.

India’s ambivalence toward the SCO and resistance to alternative regional alignments suggest it may continue to isolate itself from emerging multilateral blocs led by Beijing and Islamabad.