How Interests and Ideas of a Dominant Actor Make a Big Difference: Analyzing India’s Role in SAARC and BIMSTEC

Abstract

States always function as rational actors as protecting the national interests of a state depends on the choices it makes in the international context. Hence, choices and preferences are central to the study of both public policy and international relations. Policies are driven and influenced by the attention and behaviors of the actors which ultimately create a path to failure or success. In the Bay of Bengal Initiatives for Multisectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), India, in the absence of Pakistan, can enjoy a friendly environment and establish its goal of geopolitical and economic dominance in South Asia and Southeast Asia, while countering China’s continuous upsurge. On the other hand, in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), constant intervention from Pakistan means that India shifts its attention to use its full potential elsewhere. This article is based on secondary sources and illustrates how the interests of a major actor (India) can shape the paths of two similar regional organizations (SAARC and BIMSTEC), despite these organizations sharing characteristics such as the same member states, the same socio-economic situation, and the same vision.

What Is the Indo-Pacific? Genealogy, Securitization, and the Multipolar System

“…The One Belt, One Road initiative plans to unite much of the Indo-Pacific space, through Central and Southeast Asia, to Africa, and Europe. The second is China’s military buildup in the region, specifically its island-building strategy in the South China Sea as well as the building of foreign bases in East Africa and along the Indian Ocean coast (Shishir and Sakib 2022 ; Dar 2022 ; Karki 2022 ; Page 2016 ; Yeo 2018 ; Atta-Asamoah 2019 ). China’s String of Pearls strategy is significant, as it describes the strategy of building and maintaining hubs in states like Pakistan, Oman, Yemen, Djibouti, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Singapore, and Myanmar (Ismail and Husnain 2022 ; Marantidou 2014 , 16; Ashraf 2017 ).…”

“…This paper hopes to highlight the discursive efforts of states to create alliances. In this paper, the so-called Indo-Pacific region is manifested by the state’s need to secure itself and its interests (Shishir and Sakib 2022 ). The first part of this paper discusses realist concepts such as the state, power, and international system.…”

“…Language thus has a material manifestation, driven by states, as states seek to balance against any perception of Chinese expansion in the so-called Indo-Pacific region. In many ways, powers that seek to balance against China must court one another and find common ground and protect material interests (Shishir and Sakib 2022 ).…”

State of the Regional Integration Within South Asian Association for Regional Organisation (SAARC): Assessment of India’s Leadership

“…The SAARC Ministerial Level dialogue was also cancelled due to the recent power change in Afghanistan which is under the control of the Taliban (Aryal & Nair, 2021). Shishir and Sakib (2022) stressed that ‘India is thus more interested in fulfilling its geopolitical agenda under the BIMSTEC banner rather than the SAARC banner. Moreover, SAARC does not fit India’s “Neighbourhood First” vision as it constantly faces obstructionist approaches from Pakistan politically, economically and, in some cases, geographically’.…”