New Delhi : India on Wednesday reiterated its commitment towards regional cooperation for growth and prosperity of the people of South Asia through SAARC.
Secretary General of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), Golam Sarwar paid an official visit to India and interacted with the authorities of India on issues of cooperation in SAARC. It was Secretary General’s first official visit to any of the Member States of SAARC.
During the visit, the Secretary General was hosted for a working lunch by Jaideep Majumdar, Secretary(East), Ministry of External Affairs.
The two sides had detailed discussions on various issues of regional cooperation within SAARC. Following this, the Secretary General also called on the Foreign Secretary and the Minister of State for External Affairs, Dr. Rajkumar Ranjan Singh.
During the discussions, India reiterated its commitment towards regional cooperation for growth and prosperity of the people of South Asia through SAARC. It was also underlined that India considers SAARC as an important regional association for cooperation in South Asia and has been taking several efforts and initiatives to bring the peoples of South Asia closer to each other.
The Secretary General also visited the South Asian University (SAU) which is a specialised body of SAARC hosted by India in New Delhi and discussed with its authorities issues concerning the University.
India's relationship with the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) has been crucial for regional cooperation and diplomacy. While India has historically played a leading role within SAARC, its relations with some member countries, particularly Pakistan, have been strained at times due to various geopolitical issues.
Despite challenges, India continues to engage with SAARC to promote regional stability, economic cooperation, and collective efforts to address common challenges such as poverty, terrorism, and climate change.