Pakistan, China, Bangladesh Push For New Bloc To Counter India, Replace SAARC | India News

New Delhi: It is reported that Pakistan and China are working together to establish a new regional grouping aiming to replace the South Asian Regional Cooperation Association (Saarc), where India was once a key player.

Today, India gave a report from the Pakistan Express Tribune and said that the debates on creating this new block between Islamabad and Beijing are already in an advanced stage. The report also stated that Bangladesh attended a meeting held in Kunming, China on 19 June to discover the creation of the proposed group.

According to Express Tribune, the primary purpose of the Kunming meeting was to expand invitations to participate in the regional platform that emerged in other South Asian countries, many of which were former members of the Saarc. In May, the development follows a China-Pakistan-Afghanistan dialogue focusing on expanding the China-Pakistan economic corridor (CPEC) and deepening the cooperation with Afghanistan’s Taliban regime.

Founded on 8 December 1985 in Dakka, Saarc initially included seven countries, Afghanistan joined in 2007. It has not been active since 2016. Kathmandu hosted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Moci in 2020 in 2020 a Erdem Saarc Leading Conference.

The 19th SAARC Summit was planned for Islamabad in November 2016, but India withdrew after a Pakistan -backed terrorist attack in Uri, 17 Indian troops. Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan also referred to terrorism and regional instability, led to the cancellation of the summit and an uncertain pause in the Saarc activity.

The Express Tribune report claimed that a new regional framework is necessary to increase the integration and connection of both China and Pakistan in South Asia. Countries such as Sri Lanka, Maldives and Afghanistan are expected to be included in the proposed block.

However, Bangladesh shaped the concept of a political alliance. The Bangladesh government announced that the Foreign Affairs Advisor M Touhid Hossain explained that the Kunming meeting was a routine official level discussion and “not political in nature”.

Uz We do not establish any alliance, H Hossain said during the discussions, “There was no element of creating any alliances,” he added.

According to the diplomatic sources specified in the report, India can be expanded to participation in the new group. However, considering the strategic differences of the new Delhi, participation is considered likely.