South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation

SAARC promotes economic, technical, scientific, and social cooperation
among members. The Association was founded in 1985 by seven countries:
Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. The
Association plans to establish a South Asian Preferential Trading
Arrangement (SAPTA) by 1997 as a step toward creating an economic community
in south Asia.