A major impediment that comes in the way of SAARC trade is economic competitiveness among member countries (“ >Coming closer together for trade ”, Sept. 9). Since their manufacturing specialisations tend to overlap, member countries are forced to compete in the international market rather than cooperate. For example, India, Bangladesh and Pakistan are all textile exporters and jostle for market space. If closer cooperation is to be forged among them, then supply and manufacturing chains must be made to sweep through the whole region, aligning the comparative advantage of each member to the benefit of the other in final production. SAARC, as an integrated unit, must then compete in the international market.
Suyash Saxena,
New Delhi