SAARC at the crossroads of India–China geopolitics

New Delhi, 2/8: Since SAARC’s founding years, the smaller states of South Asia have generally adopted three strategies to deal with India. Some of them (Pakistan) have strategically collaborated with extra-regional powers such as China

Others (Bhutan) have developed positive collaboration with India and have regarded it as a regional power offering enormous opportunities. Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka believe in developing positive engagement through a multilateral institutional framework for situational benefit