The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) - First Summit, Dacca 8.12.1985

The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is an economic and geopolitical organisation of eight countries that are primarily located in South Asia or the Indian subcontinent. The SAARC Secretariat is based in Kathmandu, Nepal.

The idea of regional political and economical cooperation in South Asia was first raised in 2 May 1980 byBangladesh President Ziaur Rahman and the first summit was held in Dhaka on 8 December 1985, when the organisation was established by the governments of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Since then the organisation has expanded by accepting one new full member, Afghanistan, and several observer members.