China and Pakistan are working together on a plan to form a new regional alliance, which could become an alternative to the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).According to Pakistan’s Express Tribune, Bangladesh is also involved in forming this alliance, and as part of the initiative, a trilateral meeting among Pakistan, China, and Bangladesh was recently held in Kunming, China.On Monday (30 June), Express Tribune published a report on the matter.The report says that Pakistan and China are currently working together on a plan to form a new regional alliance, which could become an alternative to SAARC. Several diplomatic sources revealed that discussions between Islamabad and Beijing have progressed significantly. According to the two countries, a new alliance is necessary to enhance trade and connectivity in South Asia and to foster regional cohesion.Recently, a trilateral meeting was held in Kunming, China, involving Pakistan, China, and Bangladesh. This was the first meeting of top diplomats from these three countries. The meeting caught India’s attention and raised some concerns there.The main goal of the meeting on 19 June was reportedly to invite SAARC member countries to join this new alliance.Citing several sources, Express Tribune reported that India might also be invited to join the proposed new alliance. However, it is assumed Delhi will not respond positively, as India’s regional policies and interests are different from those of other countries.Nevertheless, countries like Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and Afghanistan might become part of this new group.Purpose of the New AllianceThe main objective of this potential new alliance or organization is to achieve greater regional engagement through increased trade and connectivity. SAARC was once referred to as the “European Union of South Asia,” but it became practically ineffective due to the hostile relationship between Pakistan and India.The last SAARC summit was held a decade ago. Although a summit was supposed to be held in Islamabad in 2016, India boycotted it, and Bangladesh, under then-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, also chose not to participate in line with India’s stance.Funding Crisis and SAARC’s StagnationSince then, no significant steps have been taken to revive SAARC, even though Pakistan expressed interest in hosting the summit. Recently, after the Pahalgam attack, India canceled the special SAARC visa facility for Pakistani businessmen, further jeopardizing SAARC’s future.In this context, Pakistan and China have been discussing the proposal for a new organization or alliance for several months. Both countries have concluded that like-minded nations should join hands for a better future.Main Focus: Trade and ConnectivityEssentially, the new alliance will aim to expand trade, improve connectivity, and bring together countries with similar ideologies.Observers note that India has recently shown little interest in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) as well; Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not attend the last two SCO summits. SCO currently includes China, Russia, Iran, Pakistan, and several Central Asian countries.Many also view this new alliance as a potential counterweight to Western influence. However, India’s ideological differences and pro-Western stance are considered inconsistent with the objectives of SCO and this potential new alliance.
