New Delhi, Jul 25 (PTI) Efforts to continue the SAARC dialogue, including holding of important meetings, are “hindered due to Pakistan sponsoring cross border terrorism” and blocking trade and transport connectivity efforts in the region, the Centre informed Parliament on Friday.
In a written response to a query in Lok Sabha, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh also said, “India continues to support various activities in diverse areas to achieve closer cooperation in SAARC.”
The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) comprises Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
The Ministry of External Affairs was asked whether India has “withdrawn its membership” from the regional grouping, to which Singh said, “No.”
“The efforts to continue the SAARC dialogue, including holding of important meetings are hindered due to Pakistan sponsoring cross border terrorism and blocking trade and transport connectivity efforts in the region,” he said.
As a result, the 19th SAARC Summit scheduled to be held in Pakistan in November 2016 was postponed, he said.
“There has been no material change in the situation since then, and hence still no consensus among Member States on the holding of the Summit,” Singh said.
The MEA was also asked whether China and Pakistan are “planning to create a new block in” place of SAARC to advance connectivity, trade and political dialogue.
“We have seen reports of the China-Pakistan-Bangladesh Trilateral meeting at Kunming. Following the meeting, the Foreign Affairs Adviser of Bangladesh conveyed, during a media briefing in Dhaka, that the trilateral meeting was not meant to build an alliance targeting any third country,” Singh said.
The government of India maintains a “constant watch” on all developments having a bearing on India’s national interests and takes all necessary measures to safeguard them, he added.
India has been actively engaging countries in the region including in South Asia to strengthen the regional partnership through the BIMSTEC mechanism, the minister said.
