Modi must seize SAARC potential as a ‘Regional’ leader
The media did a wonderful job of covering Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s lavish swearingin ceremony, the formation of his cabinet and his meeting with Pakistani counterpart, Nawaz Sharif, who might have ruffled some feathers in the Pakistani Army and ISI by agreeing to attend the ceremony. The Modi-Sharif meeting on day one of Modi’s five year term was significant because both leaders have a clear mandate. Knowing Modi’s work style, it is obvious that most of the foreign policy initiatives will come from the PMO, and in that regard, the meeting will prove useful even though it lasted just for forty minutes. Sharif did not mention Kashmir even once and did not have a meeting with the Hurriyat leaders, a must for any Pakistani leader’s visit to New Delhi. But the media, except for CNN-IBN and a few newspapers, forgot that Sharif was just one of the eight SAARC leaders who met Modi and his meetings with them were also significant, especially if he wants to prove that he can be a great regional leader like Atal Behari Vajpayee. Modi’s extended hand of friendship to all SAARC countries is a welcome step and kindles hope that he understands the economic and commercial potential of the region if there is peace. I, for one, believe that there is an urgent need for cooperation in South Asia where countries of the region could start depending on each other for crucial products they import from the West. This way, they will pay lower freights and contribute to the economic growth of the region. If this kind of pragmatism spreads in the region, the region, given its potential, can become a bigger market than China or say the whole of Europe. The West knows that, perhaps that is why it does not encourage such moves which may not serve their interests. India and Pakistan together can expand their cooperation and set examples for the other SAARC neighbors. Sri Lanka produces almost 1,50,000 tons of rubber annually. This trend continues with Sri Lanka exporting about 20-30% of the rubber production in raw form while 70-80% is used by domestic industries. Given the quantity and quality of the rubber produced in Sri Lanka, they can produce more quality tyres than the total demand of the South Asian countries and then even export some. If its tyre industry gets a boost from SAARC, or just India, it can produce enough tyres itself and for the whole region. Bangladesh is among the fortunate to have huge volumes of natural gas resources, even though only part of the resources are discovered, and only a part of the discovered resources have been proven. Unfortunately the natural gas situation in Bangladesh is in a desperate situation because it is letting its gas fields to hibernate. And to stop hibernation, it needs swift development and production of natural gas. SAARC countries can help Bangladesh do it and such a pragmatic move can help the country in producing power and also fertilizer to meet the demand of the whole region, eliminating the need for importing fertilizers from the West by India, the biggest importer in the region. Power is in shortage in Nepal although it has a huge hydropower potential. In fact, the perennial nature of Nepalese rivers and the steepness of the country’s topography provide ideal conditions for the development of some of the world’s largest hydroelectric projects there. According to some estimates, Nepal’s hydropower potential is more than 40,000 MWs, but out of that only 1,000 MWs have been developed so far. SAARC countries, especially India, can help Nepal generate enough hydroelectricity for domestic consumption and then for export to neighbouring countries like Pakistan and India. In Afghanistan, it is estimated that deposits of metals, hydrocarbons and rare earth minerals could be worth at least one trillion USD. It has all the ingredients to make cement in huge volumes that will be good for the whole region. China is already working on increasing its footprint there, once the security situation improves. SAARC countries, especially India, can also play a big role there if there is a genuine cooperation between India and Pakistan, without any unfounded suspicions and fears. So, the Indian media should impress upon Modi, who wants to become a regional leader like Vajpayee, that he must seize the opportunity and try to foster real cooperation among the SAARC nations so that they can prosper themselves and in the process make South Asia a self-reliant region, perhaps to the envy of China and the West. My contention is that if Modi believes he can be a regional leader, he should start behaving like one at the very outset. Author/news analyst Ravi M Khanna is a former South Asia bureau chief of Voice of America who now does free lance reporting from New Delhi. Feedback: ravimohankhanna@gmail.com
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