India’s Prime Minster Narendra Modi has called on the SAARC member states to be “sensitive” to each other’s security and work together “to change cynicism into optimism”.
Published : 26 Nov 2014, 12:20 PM
“Let us turn South Asia of flowering hope into a rich field of peace and prosperity,” he said addressing his first SAARC summit in Kathmandu on Wednesday.
All eyes have been on Modi in this summit, as India matters to SAARC and Modi had infused hope into the moribund group by inviting to the grouping’s leaders at his inauguration and subsequent speeches at different levels.
He spoke highly on connectivity efforts and said infrastructure development would top India’s priority for the region’s integration.
He referred his last few months visit in different parts of the world and said, “I see a rising tide of integration and negotiations of mutual trade and investment”.
He said barriers of boundary “inherit progress”, but international partnership “add speed to it”.
He said nowhere in the world are “collective efforts more urgent than in South Asia”.
But his remarks about being “sensitive to each other’s security” came close on the heels of Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s “vision” of a “dispute-free South Asia”, reports Nurul Islam Hasib, our Diplomatic Correspondent covering the SAARC Summit.
Sharif also called upon on all to fight common problems of poverty, disease and malnutrition, instead of fighting each other.
His speech is being seen as an overture to India, which suspended talks after Pakistan had reached out to Kashmiri separatists in August.
Modi said if “we are sensitive to each other’s security and lives of our people, we will deepen friendship, cooperation and advance stability in our region”.
“Today, as we remember the horror of the terror attack in Mumbai in 2008, we feel the endless pain of lost lives”.
“Let us work together to fulfil the pledge we have taken to combat terrorism and trans-national crimes,” he said in his nearly 25-minute speech.
He said India’s vision in this region was based on five pillars – trade, investment, assistance, cooperation in every area, and seamless connectivity.
“This is the age of social media where boundaries matter little.
“There is a new awakening in South Asia, a new recognition of inter-linked destinies, and a new belief in shared opportunities.”
He said each was free to choose its own path “but when we join our hands and walk in step, the path becomes easier, the journey quicker and the destination closer”.
Modi, who is known for his neighbourhood policy, said in the life of an individual and a nation, “a good neighbour is a universal aspiration”.
“We face common challenges no matter what the size of the country is. There is much to learn from each other,” he said.
He saw a lot of potential in the region with its “thriving democracy” and “unmatched strengthen of youth and strong thrust of change and progress”.
He said vision and aspiration had brought the countries together to form SAARC 30 years back.
“But when we speak of SAARC, we usually hear two reactions….I am sorry to say….we always hear two reactions cynicism and scepticism”.
He said there was less than five percent trade among SAARC countries and lamented that even Indian companies that invest billions of dollars aboard invest less than one percent in the region.
“It is still harder to travel within our region than to Bangkok and Singapore and even more expensive to speak to each other”.
He, however, cited examples of India’s close links with Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan.
“We have failed to move with the speed that our people expect and want,” he said.
He wondered if this was because “we are stuck behind the walls of our differences and are hesitant to move out of the shadows of the past”.
“This would not resolve our differences, but would certainly deprive us of our opportunities”.
He strongly advocated smooth connectivity and said “we must think of the distance between our producers and consumers and use the most direct route of trade”.
“I know India has to lead and we will do our part and I hope each of you will do”.
He termed infrastructure as the region’s “greatest weakness” and as its “most pressing need”.
“When I think coming to Kathmandu by road, it makes many officers nervous because of the condition of the road on the border”.
“Infrastructure is the greatest priority of India,” he said, and added that the country would finance infrastructure projects in the region.
He said border facilities would be sped up and announced three to five years’ business visas for SAARC member countries, though Bangladeshis were already enjoying this arrangement.
“Let us make it easier through SAARC business travellers’ card”.
He acknowledged that India had a huge trade surplus with SAARC countries. “I believe that this is neither right nor sustainable”.
“We will address your concerns and give you a level playing field in India,” he told the member states.
Stressing connecting lives along the border, he said “if we can light up each other’s towns and villages, we can build a brighter tomorrow for our region or face a future when somebody looks down at us and says this is world’s darkest corner”.
He advocated that electricity should be treated as any other commodity to invest and trade in.
“India will fully support the initiative in the region”.
He said road and railway connectivity was essential to connect the lives of the region’s ordinary people.
He also called upon all to promote tourism and present South Asia to the world.
He also spoke of cooperation in the health, science, and technology sectors and expressed his wish to launch the SAARC satellite in 2016, project he had mentioned earlier.
He said medical visa would be made available for patients and one attendant.
Modi also suggested collaboration with at least one university of each country to make the Delhi-based South Asian University “to be truly South Asian”.
“We should be together in good and bad times,” he said and promised that India would always be there.
“A prosperous SAARC needs the strong foundation of a secure South Asia,” he said.