Roles and development for success of the SAARC

India being the biggest partner and economy in the group, has to play more responsible role in the development and success of the SAARC.

The Ninth SAARC Summit was held in May 1997 at male. During the summit these South Asian countries moved a step closer towards interaction among themselves by agreeing to have more frequent informal consultations. At the conclusion of the Summit it was declared that the aim of promoting peace, stability and amity and accelerated socio-economic cooperation might be best achieved by fostering good neighbourly relations, relieving tensions and building confidence. The leaders agreed that the process of informal political consultations would prove useful in the matter.

The Maldives President and the Chairman of SAARC< Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, at the end of the Summit, said in a press conference that the group had accepted his proposal of political dialogue among the leaders. His suggestion that this might lead to a SAARC Declaration of the Principle of Political Cooperation and Stability might be accepted at a later stage.