---
title: "SAARC: South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation"
description: "SAARC is an intergovernmental organization founded in 1985 to promote economic and regional integration in South Asia among its eight member states."
url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/glossary/saarc"
---

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Model Diplomat Research Team · Last reviewed June 22, 2026

TL;DR

- The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation is an eight-member intergovernmental organisation, founded in 1985, that promotes economic and regional integration in South Asia.
- When and where was SAARC founded, and who are its members?
- What is the difference between SAPTA and SAFTA?
- Why has SAARC been described as dysfunctional?
- How does BIMSTEC relate to SAARC?

[Civil Service & Diplomatic Exams](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/civil-services/glossary)Updated June 22, 2026

The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation is an eight-member intergovernmental organisation, founded in 1985, that promotes economic and regional integration in South Asia.

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## Timeline

1. 8 December 1985

   The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) was established on in Dhaka, when the heads of state of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Ne…

2. 1 January 2006

   SAARC's principal economic instrument is the South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA), signed at the 12th Islamabad Summit (2004) and operational from , which sup…

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In November 2016, India withdrew from the 19th SAARC Summit in Islamabad after the Uri attack, prompting Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan to follow, and the summit's cancellation has left SAARC dormant since.

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