SAARC – The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation was established with the signing of the SAARC Charter in Dhaka on 8 December 1985. SAARC comprises of eight Member States: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The Secretariat of the Association was set up in Kathmandu on 17 January 1987.
The objectives of the Association as outlined in the SAARC Charter are: to promote the welfare of the peoples of South Asia and to improve their quality of life; to accelerate economic growth, social progress and cultural development in the region and to provide all individuals the opportunity to live in dignity and to realize their full potentials; to promote and strengthen collective self-reliance among the countries of South Asia; to contribute to mutual trust, understanding and appreciation of one another’s problems; to promote active collaboration and mutual assistance in the economic, social, cultural, technical and scientific fields; to strengthen cooperation with other developing countries; to strengthen cooperation among themselves in international forums on matters of common interests; and to cooperate with international and regional organizations with similar aims and purposes.
SAARC Summits Detail
| Summit | Year | Venue |
| First | 1985 | Dhaka (Bangladesh) |
| Second | 1986 | Bangalore (India) |
| Third | 1987 | Kathmandu (Nepal) |
| Fourth | 1988 | Islamabad (Pakistan) |
| Fifth | 1990 | Male (Maldives) |
| Sixth | 1991 | Colombo (Sri Lanka) |
| Seventh | 1993 | Dhaka (Bangladesh) |
| Eighth | 1995 | New Dehli (India) |
| Ninth | 1996/97 | Maldives |
| Tenth | 1998 | Colombo |
| Eleventh | 2002 | Kathmandu |
| Twelveth | 2004 | Islamabad |
| Thirteenth | 2005 | Dhaka |
| Fourteenth | 2007 | Dehli |
| Fifteenth | 2008 | Colombo |
| Sixteenth | 2010 | Bhutan |
| Seventeenth | 2011 | Maldives |
| Eighteenth | 2013 | Nepal |
| Nineteenth | 2016 | Islamabad (Pakistan) Cancelled |
SAARC Secretaries General
| No. | Name | Tenure |
| 1 | Abu-al-Ahsan | January 16, 1987 to 15, October 1989 |
| 2 | Kant Kishore Bhargava | October 17, 1989 to December 31, 1993 |
| 3 | Ibrahim Hussain Zaki | January 1, 1992 to December 31, 1993 |
| 4 | Yadav Kant Silwal | January 1, 1994 to December 31, 1995 |
| 5 | Naeem U Hasan | January 1, 1996 to December 31, 1998 |
| 6 | Nihal Rodrigo | January 1, 1999 to January 10, 2002 |
| 7 | Q.A.M.A Rahim | January 11, 2002 to February 28, 2005 |
| 8 | Lyonpo Chenkyab Drogi | March 1, 2005 to February 29, 2008 |
| 9 | Sheel Kant Sharma | March 1, 2008 to February 28, 2011 |
| 10 | Fathimath Dhiyana Saeed | March 1, 2011 to January 22, 2012 |
| 11 | Ahmed Saleem | March 12, 2012 |
| 12 | Amjad Hussain B Sial | 01, March 2017 |
SAARC Current Members
- Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
- People’s Republic of Bangladesh
- Kingdom of Bhutan
- Republic of India
- Republic of Maldives
- Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal
- Islamic Republic of Pakistan
- Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
Important Solved MCQs About SAARC
1. Apart from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh who are the other member countries of SAARC?
(a) Nepal, Bhutan, Thailand and Singapore
(b) Nepal, Bhutan, Malaysia and Maldives
(c) Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan
(d) Nepal, Bhutan, Singapore and Sri Lanka
Correct Answer: (c) Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan
2. SAARC was formed in Dhaka on ______________
(a) November 7, 1984
(b) October 3, 1985
(c) September 5, 1984
(d) December 8, 1985
Correct Answer: (d) December 8, 1985
3. Which of the following is not the main purpose for formation of SAARC
(a) To Combat Terrorism
(b) To Promote the Welfare of the people of South Asia
(c) To form mutual defence against foreign aggression
(d) To accelerate economic growth and natural development
Correct Answer: (c) To form mutual defence against foreign aggression
4. Which SAARC summit was held in Islamabad in 2004
(a) 5th
(b) 12th
(c) 3rd
(d) 6th
Correct Answer: (b) 12th
5. First SAARC summit was held ln 1985 in ______
(a) Delhi
(b) Dhaka
(c) Kathmandu
(d) Colombo
Correct Answer: (b) Dhaka
6. SAARC has its headquarters in _________________
(a) Kathmandu, Nepal
(b) New Delhi, India
(c) Dhaka, Bangladesh
(d) Colombo, Sri Lanka
Correct Answer: (a) Kathmandu, Nepal
7. Which of following countries got observer status in SAARC
(a) Korea and China
(b) Russian and China
(c) Japan and China
(d) Thailand and Indonesia
Correct Answer: (c) Japan and China
8. In acronym SAARC, “C” stands for _______________
(a) Committee
(b) Commonwealth
(c) Conference
(d) Cooperation
Correct Answer: (d) Cooperation
9. Which of the following statements regarding SAARC countries is correct?
(a) All the countries with which India has borders are members of SAARC, Sri Lanka and the Maldives being islands
(b) Except Sri Lenin and Maldives, no other SAARC country has island as a part of its territory
(c) No SAARC country other than India has a common border With another member country, Sri Lanka and the Maldives being island
(d) Except Sri Lanka and the Maldives, all the SAARC countries have common border with China
Correct Answer: (c) No SAARC country other than India has a common border With another member country, Sri Lanka and the Maldives being island
10. SAPTA is a trade agreement by _________________
(a) ASEAN Nations
(b) APEC Nations
(c) SAARC Nations
(d) EU Nations
Correct Answer: (c) SAARC Nations
11. Name the first Secretary-General of SAARC
(a) Nazim Karim
(b) Abu-al-Ahsan
(c) Rafi Nizami
(d) None of them
Correct Answer: (b) Abu-al-Ahsan
12. President of Maldives Mammoon Abdul Gayoom has attended fourteen SAARC summits besides him who has attended a maximum number of SAARC summits?
(a) King Jigme Singhe Wangchuk
(b) King Birendra Bin Bikram
(c) Prime Minister Girjia Prasad Koirala
(d) None of them
Correct Answer: (a) King Jigme Singhe Wangchuk
13. 2010-2020 in the SAARC decade of____________
(a) The rights or the labour
(b) The rights of the women
(c) The rights of the child
(d) intra-regional Connectivity
Correct Answer: (d) intra-regional Connectivity
14. In which year SAARC Law Commission was formulated?
(a) 1990
(b) 1991
(c) 1992
(d) 1993
Correct Answer: (b) 1991
15. SAARC law was accorded recognition in which year?
(a) 1991
(b) 1992
(c) 1993
(d) 1994
Correct Answer: (d) 1994
16. Who is the current secretary general of SAARC?
(a) Dr Sheel Kant Sharma
(b) Kumar Shrestha
(c) Abu-al-Ahsan
(d) Amjad Hussain B. Sial
Correct Answer: (d) Amjad Hussain B. Sial
17. Which country was a major donor in financing the SAARC?
(a) Pakistan
(b) Sri Lenka
(c) India
(d) Bangladesh
Correct Answer: (b) Sri Lenka
18. ______________SAARC Summit was cancelled, which was supposed to be held in Islamabad, Pakistan on 15-16 November 2016?
(a) 16th
(b) 15th
(c) 18th
(d) 19th
Correct Answer: (d) 19th
19. The 19th SAARC Summit, which was postponed due to the URI Attacks was supposed to be held in which country?
(a) Pakistan
(b) Iran
(c) China
(d) India
Correct Answer: (a) Pakistan
