Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: India should strive for South Asian economic integration without Pakistan, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) foreign policy chief Vijay Chauthaiwale has said, according to the Hindustan Times.

The BJP leader was of the opinion that the ruling party of the Hindu-majority country was under no ideological compulsion to mend ways with its regional rival and neighbour.

Shyam Saran, former foreign secretary of India, responded by saying that keeping Pakistan out of South Asian integration plans would amount to accepting defeat that “we don’t know how to deal with a neighbour”.

Chauthaiwale and Saran, along with former foreign secretary Nirupama Rao and Shaurya Doval, a director of India Foundation, were participating in a panel discussion on ‘India’s Place in the World’ at a conclave organised by Network 18.

To a question on regional economic integration of South Asia when the member countries cannot even agree to hold a summit, Chauthaiwale said, “We should look at South Asia minus Pakistan. The other countries and larger economies in the region are willing.” He also mentioned about India giving more emphasis on BIMSTEC, a grouping of Bay of Bengal countries, and sub-regional initiatives such as BBIN (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal) connectivity plans.

“There is a new awakening in South Asia; a new recognition of inter-linked destinies; and, a new belief in shared opportunities. The bonds will flow. Through SAARC or outside it. Among us all or some of us,” Prime Minister Narenda Modi had said at the 2014 SAARC summit.

Doval said Pakistan remains a hot spot in South Asian regional integration plans and India should work with others who are willing to partake in the economic development of the region.

Rao said that ‘eternal vigil’ is the answer to terrorism in the subcontinent and India should also improve its internal security measures.

Published in Daily Times, March 19^th 2018.