• Foreign ministry officials of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka meet for the first time in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
  • At an international conference held in New Delhi, India the foreign ministers of the seven countries adopt the Declaration on South Asian Association Regional Coopoeration (SAARC) and formally launched the Integrated Programme of Action (IPA).
  • SAARC is established when its charter is formally approved. First Summit is held in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
  • The agreement on the South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) is signed.
  • Afghanistan becomes a member of SAARC during the 14th SAARC Summit.
  • Australia, China, the EU, Iran, Japan, Mauritius, Myanmar, South Korea, and the United States become observers of SAARC.

Sources

South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation

International Democracy Watch: South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation