Terrorism and Counter-Terrorism Responses in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Region: Indian Experience

Abstract

This study was conducted based on a document review. The study examines terrorism as the security threat to the SAARC and its encumbrance on regional cooperation and the efforts made by SAARC and/India to counter terrorism in South Asia. First, the study tries to look the complex nature of terrorism. Second, it provides a synopsis of the vulnerabilities of SAARC region to terrorist activities and how terrorism impedes regional cooperation. It also highlights the efforts made by the SAARC in counter terrorism since its establishment in 1985. The study argues that although initial significant progress is being made to bring all members states on one platform and signing different conventions on suppression of terrorism by the SAARC, many challenges remain. These include; inter-state disputes; religious militancy and radicalism; political polarizations; lack of mutual trust and suspicion among members and member states extra-regional multi-lateral counter-terrorism initiatives other than strengthening SAARC. Thirdly, the study tries to walk around India’s vulnerability to terrorism and how the country is responding to it. India’s role as a regional hegemony in the SAARC counter-terrorism activity is limited. Most of the counter-terrorism efforts in India have focused on bilateral meetings with individual countries rather than working cooperatively with SAARC member states.