New Delhi: India may find the US less forthcoming on issues relating to terrorism - that's the substance of the message from Washington.
The reason - India's push to give Iran observer status in SAARC despite a warning against it.
The warning has not passed unnoticed, and has renewed concerns in South Block about the kind of influence the newly admitted observers to SAARC could exercise.
China, another observer, had its own signals to send. Foreign minister Li Zhaoxing came for the summit after a stopover in Islamabad where the strategic relationship with Pakistan was reiterated.
There are fears China could try and hijack SAARC by using the forum to build its own linkages ...
“China is ready to join hands with SAARC in infrastructure and energy sectors on the basis of equality and mutual benefit,” says Zhaoxing.
Experts say South Block fears its own status in SAARC maybe undercut by observer's like China.
“I don't think China will be content with observer status. I see the scene changing three years down the line,” says South Asia expert, Mahendra P Lama.
Despite that, SAARC appears keen on involving the observers on issues ranging from trade to counter terrorism.
“We are open to cooperating with the observers on all these sectors. This is the first meeting they are coming to and then we will work out methods to cooperate with each of them,” says India’s Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon.
Experts see the presence of observers as the reflection of the world's increasing stakes in this region. South Asia is seen as the market of the future with a population of around 1.4 billion ... and the big powers would like a share in the pie.
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