SAARC — Prelims Questions

Which of the following statements about the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is/are correct? 1. SAARC was established in 1985 in Dhaka, Bangladesh. 2. Afghanistan joined SAARC as a full member in 2007. 3. The SAARC Secretariat is located in New Delhi, India. 4. All decisions in SAARC are taken on the basis of unanimity.

Consider the following statements regarding SAFTA (South Asian Free Trade Area): 1. SAFTA came into force in 2006, replacing SAPTA. 2. It aims to eliminate customs duties on all traded goods among SAARC members without any exceptions. 3. The agreement includes provisions for a sensitive list and rules of origin.

Which of the following countries is NOT an observer state of SAARC? (A) China (B) Japan (C) Iran (D) Myanmar

The SAARC Development Fund (SDF) primarily focuses on which of the following areas? 1. Poverty alleviation 2. Social development 3. Infrastructure development 4. Military cooperation

Which of the following is considered a major reason for SAARC's limited success compared to other regional organizations like ASEAN? (A) Lack of a common cultural heritage among member states. (B) Absence of a strong economic power to drive integration. (C) Persistent bilateral political tensions, especially between key members. (D) Over-reliance on external funding for its projects and initiatives.