Borders that shape people’s trends and political behaviour are not permanent. Western colonial powers had developed a ‘psychology’ among South Asian scholars and rulers that only seven countries are the part of South Asia, and divided the trade routes and resources of the region. The formation of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) was also based on this particular psychology that only seven countries should be the members of this regional organisation because these seven countries are within the ‘South Asian’ region.
Now these ‘psychological regional borders’ of South Asia are inadequate to compel security issues as they did in the time of the Cold War. The Indo-Sino War of 1962 gave indication for the first time that South Asian security issues could not be fully addressed until and unless China became part of this process. Moreover, in 1979, a couple of incidents occurred outside South Asian security complex that affected South Asia by different means, i.e. the Afghan war and the Iranian Revolution. These two incidents paved way for expansion of South Asian security complex.
The Afghan war introduced extremism and terrorism in South Asia, the phenomena that were not inherent in the region prior to the Afghan war. Culture of smuggling, weaponisation and sectarian violence touched the highest mark of all times. The Iranian Revolution, on the other hand, raised concerns of many regional countries, and a proxy war ignited inside South Asia.
In 1985, during the formation of SAARC, all the above-mentioned incidents could not get attention in the eyes of those who were establishing a comprehensive regional organisation. Therefore, the formation process restricted the psychological geographical boundaries and incorporated seven states into the security complex of South Asia. After almost 20 years, these seven states realised that without Afghanistan’s inclusion into SAARC, the security complex of South Asia would remain inadequate. As a result, Afghanistan was incorporated into the organisation, and was recognised as an important state for the South Asian security complex.
Ironically, South Asian countries once again did not recognise the importance of China and Iran, both in terms of security and economic issues linked with South Asia. But it is a recognised fact that if Afghanistan can become part of the South Asian security complex, then China and Iran have several reasons to become part of SAARC.
Why China? People’s Republic of China has direct border-sharing with five out of eight SAARC countries. Significant security matters regarding territorial and water dispute on Brahmaputra, and the Tibet issue with India; and economic and defence cooperation in various sectors with Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and Bhutan deeply involves China into South Asian security and economic affairs. This direct cooperation-competition paradox makes China eligible to be the member of SAARC, and needs to be recognised as an important state of South Asian security complex. The establishment of Pak-China Economic Corridor will further make it eligible for permanent membership of SAARC.
Why Iran? Iran shares border with Pakistan and Afghanistan, two important states of South Asia. The competitive environment of Gwadar-Chabahar, and cooperation of Iran-Pakistan (IP) gas pipeline coupled with narcotics issues as well as border insecurity due to non-state actors refer to Iranian interests in the South Asian region. Iran’s key role in Afghanistan due to direct border connection upsurges its importance for South Asia. Iran’s inclusion in South Asian security complex can provide South Asian states a better chance of cooperation and trade with energy surplus state (Iran) under the banner of South Asian Free Trade Agreement.
The idea of expanding regional security complex is further strengthened by cooperation of the emerging nuclear neighbours. Three states — Pakistan, China and India — are declared nuclear states. The three states will have great opportunities to discuss their nuclear issues and cooperation mechanism under the forum of SAARC. Most significantly, post-US and NATO drawdown, situation has further integrated these two states into South Asian security paradigm due to the unpredictable situation of Afghanistan.
Moreover, the bipolarity in South Asia — Pakistan versus India — left many issues unresolved in the region. The changing strategic environment of South Asia from bipolar to multipolar can promote stability in the region. It seems increasingly clear that security issues in South Asia cannot be solved by South Asian countries alone. Therefore, it is the opportune time to incorporate these two states into the South Asian security paradigm for the stability of the region as well as to make SAARC an effective regional organisation.
The writer is a researcher at the Islamabad Policy Research Institute