Es ist ein Fehler, Indien von einem neuen südasiatischen Block Nikkei Asien auszuschließen

SS: Summary: „It’s a Mistake to Exclude India from a New South Asian Bloc“ – Nikkei Asia (July 21, 2025)

The article by Salman Rafi Sheikh, a politics professor from Lahore University, argues that excluding India from a proposed new China-Pakistan-led South Asian bloc will deepen regional rivalries rather than foster cooperation.

🔹 Context:

On June 19, 2025, diplomats from China, Pakistan, and Bangladesh met in Kunming to propose a new bloc to replace the stalled SAARC, which has been inactive since India boycotted its 2016 summit after the Uri terrorist attack.

The bloc is backed by China and Pakistan and includes countries like Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh, all of which are moving closer to Beijing’s orbit.

🔹 Why Excluding India Is a Strategic Error:

1. Economic Clout: India is South Asia’s economic engine, contributing ~70% of SAARC’s GDP, with strong trade links across the region (e.g., $13B trade with Bangladesh).

2. Geopolitical Backlash: India could counter this bloc by strengthening BIMSTEC, leading to dual, conflicting regional orders (China-led bloc vs India-led BIMSTEC).

3. Fragmentation Risk: Overlapping members like Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka would struggle to balance ties between competing groupings, worsening instability.

🔹 Likely Consequences:

Heightened Tensions: India may deepen ties with the US and Quad, increasing its military and diplomatic assertiveness against China, especially over Ladakh and Taiwan.

Marginalizing Pakistan: U.S. support for India may lead to further neglect of Pakistan’s concerns (e.g., Balochistan separatism).

Stalled Collaboration: Critical regional issues like climate change, water sharing, and counterterrorism require India’s involvement for meaningful progress.

🔹 Conclusion:

The exclusion of India risks entrenching geopolitical divides and rendering South Asia even less integrated. A truly effective regional bloc must include New Delhi to build cooperative solutions rather than perpetuate rivalry.

India and Pakistan together — and especially now after the recent clash? Sounds like a recipe for disaster