The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) was created by a charter signed at Dhaka on 8 December 1985, on an idea first floated by Bangladesh's President Ziaur Rahman. Afghanistan joined in 2007 as the newest member. Its permanent Secretariat opened in 1987. It runs the South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA, 2006), the South Asian University in New Delhi and a Development Fund in Thimphu.
Key facts
- Charter signed at Dhaka, 8 December 1985; Afghanistan joined in 2007.
- Nine observers, including China, the US, the EU and Japan. (as of 23 Oct 2026)
- SAFTA took effect in 2006; the South Asian University is in New Delhi; the SAARC Development Fund is in Thimphu.
- Last summit: the 18th, in November 2014; the 19th (Islamabad 2016) was postponed indefinitely. (as of 23 Oct 2026)
Why exams ask about it
Founding city versus Secretariat city, the number of founders and when Afghanistan joined are the standard traps.