Q.Explain the objectives of SAARC and name its member countries.

This question requires both SAARC's objectives and its full membership list.

The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) was established in 1985 and is headquartered in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Member countries: SAARC has eight member states: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives, and Afghanistan.

Objectives: SAARC's objectives are: (i) to promote the welfare of the peoples of South Asia and improve their quality of life; (ii) to accelerate economic growth, social progress, and cultural development in the region; (iii) to strengthen collective self-reliance among member countries, reducing dependence on outside powers; (iv) to promote mutual trust, understanding, and appreciation of one another's problems among member states, since regional cooperation depends on countries first understanding each other's circumstances; and (v) to promote active cooperation and mutual assistance in the economic, social, technical, and scientific fields. …

Students commonly omit one or more member countries (especially Afghanistan) or blend SAARC's regional-cooperation objectives with the global objectives of the WTO or World Bank. Keep the member list complete (all eight) and kee …