- The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is the regional intergovernmental organization and geopolitical union of states in South Asia.
- Its member states are Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
- The SAARC comprises 3% of the world's area, 21% of the world's population and 4.21% (US$3.67 trillion) of the global economy, as of 2019.
- The SAARC was founded in Dhaka on 8 December 1985.
- Its secretariat is based in Kathmandu, Nepal.
- The organization promotes development of economic and regional integration.
- It launched the South Asian Free Trade Area in 2006.
- The SAARC maintains permanent diplomatic relations at the United Nations as an observer and has developed links with multilateral entities, including the European Union.
Members
- Afghanistan
- Bangladesh
- Bhutan
- India
- Maldives
- Nepal
- Pakistan
- Sri Lanka
Observers
- Australia
- China
- European Union
- Iran
- Japan
- Mauritius
- Myanmar
- South Korea
- United States
Specialized Bodies
- SAARC Arbitration Council(SARCO) - Islamabad, Pakistan
- SAARC Development Fund(SDF) - Thimphu, Bhutan
- South Asian University(SAU) - New Delhi, India
- South Asian Regional Standards Organization(SARSO) - Dhaka, Bangladesh