Which country is not a member of SAARC?

Concept

Membership in a regional organization is determined by formal admission under its charter; an observer or dialogue partner does not thereby become a member.

SAARC is the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation. Its member states are Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.

Application

Bhutan, Nepal, and Bangladesh appear in SAARC’s official member list. Japan does not appear in that member list and participates as an observer.

Cross-check and contrast

• Bhutan — one of the seven states that established SAARC in 1985.

• Nepal — a founding state and the location of the SAARC Secretariat in Kathmandu.

• Bangladesh — a founding state and host of the first SAARC summit in Dhaka.

The official membership list and the observer list place Japan in different categories, confirming the classification.

Therefore, Japan is the country among the given choices that is not a member of SAARC.