Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in the 6th BIMSTEC Summit hosted by Thailand, the current chair, under the theme— “BIMSTEC: Prosperous, Resilient and Open”.

• The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi proposed a 21-point Action Plan covering different aspects of cooperation among the BIMSTEC nations
• During his visit, PM Modi was presented with The World Tipitaka: Sajjhaya Phonetic Edition by Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra.

India-Led Initiatives Announced

• Business: Establishment of BIMSTEC Chamber of Commerce.
  • Organization of BIMSTEC Business Summit every year.
  • Feasibility study on the possibilities of trade in local currency in the BIMSTEC region.
• IT: Pilot study to understand the needs of BIMSTEC countries to share the experience of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI)
  • Connectivity between UPI and payment systems in the BIMSTEC region.
• Mitigation and Disaster Management: Establishing the BIMSTEC Centre of Excellence for Disaster Management in India to cooperate in disaster management, relief and rehabilitation.
  • Fourth joint exercises between BIMSTEC Disaster Management Authorities to be held in India this year.
• Security: Holding the first meeting of the Home Ministers’ Mechanism in India
• Capacity Building and Training: “BODHI”, i.e., “BIMSTEC for Organised Development of Human resource Infrastructure” initiative. Under this, 300 youth from BIMSTEC countries will be trained in India every year.
  • Scholarships to BIMSTEC students in the Forestry Research Institute of India and expansion of the scholarship scheme at Nalanda University.
• Energy: BIMSTEC Energy Centre in Bengaluru has started working.
  • Faster work on electric grid interconnection.
• Youth engagement: BIMSTEC Young Leaders’ Summit to be held this year.
  • The BIMSTEC Hackathon and Young Professional Visitors programme will be launched.
• Sports: Holding ‘BIMSTEC Athletics Meet’ in India this year.
  • Hosting the first BIMSTEC Games in 2027
• Culture: BIMSTEC Traditional Music Festival to be held in India this year
• Connectivity: Establishment of Sustainable Maritime Transport Centre in India to work to enhance coordination in capacity building, research, innovation and maritime policies.

Key Agreements & Documents Adopted

• Summit Declaration: Captures the shared vision, priorities, and commitments of member states.
  • Sets the tone for future cooperation under the theme: “Prosperous, Resilient, and Open BIMSTEC”.
• BIMSTEC Bangkok Vision 2030: A comprehensive roadmap for the next 5 years.
  • Aligned with:
    • UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
    • Thailand’s Bio-Circular-Green (BCG) Economic Model
  • Focused on:
    • Prosperity: Trade, poverty alleviation, sustainable development.
    • Resilience: Agriculture, public health, disaster preparedness.
    • Openness: Tourism, connectivity, inclusiveness.
• BIMSTEC Maritime Transport Cooperation Agreement
  • Aims to enhance:
    • Cargo and passenger movement across Bay of Bengal.
    • Recognition of documents and certificates of vessels, crew, and cargo.
    • Establishment of a Joint Shipping Coordination Committee.
    • Provides a structured dispute resolution mechanism.
• Rules of Procedure for BIMSTEC Mechanisms: Complements the BIMSTEC Charter (2022).
  • Enhances institutional clarity, decision-making, and functional coherence of BIMSTEC working bodies.
• MoUs with International Organizations:
  • Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA): Expands BIMSTEC’s external cooperation on maritime and blue economy sectors.
  • United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC): Strengthens collaboration in Counter-narcotics, Criminal justice reform, and Transnational crime prevention.
• Approval of Eminent Persons Group (EPG) report: Offers strategic recommendations for: Institutional reform, Sectoral prioritization, Long-term visioning for BIMSTEC.
  • Finalized after regional consultations in 2024.

BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation)

About BIMSTEC

• BIMSTEC is a multilateral regional organization established with the aim of accelerating shared growth and cooperation between littoral and adjacent countries in the Bay of Bengal region.
• It was founded as BIST-EC, in June 1997, with the adoption of the Bangkok Declaration, with Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka and Thailand as members. 
  • It became BIMST-EC (Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand Economic Cooperation) with the entry of Myanmar in late 1997,
  • And eventually, it was named in its current form, when Nepal and Bhutan became members in 2004.
• Represents around 1.7 billion people (22% of the global population) and a combined GDP of approximately USD 4.5 trillion.
• Permanent Secretariat: Dhaka, Bangladesh.
• Membership: It has a total of seven member countries:
  • Five from South Asia, including Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka;
  • Two from Southeast Asia, including Myanmar and Thailand.
• Chairmanship: The BIMSTEC uses the alphabetical order for the Chairmanship.
• • Currently, Thailand; it will be taken over by Bangladesh.
    

Significance of BIMSTEC for India

• Strategic Importance: BIMSTEC nations form a bridge between South Asia and Southeast Asia, central to India’s Act East Policy.
  • India–Myanmar–Thailand Trilateral Highway is a flagship connectivity initiative under BIMSTEC aimed at linking India’s Northeast with ASEAN nations​.
• Alternative to SAARC: BIMSTEC excludes Pakistan, enabling smoother cooperation without bilateral tensions.
  • SAARC has not held a summit since 2014, while BIMSTEC has held four summits since 2016 and adopted a Charter in 2022, giving it legal personality​​.
• Enhanced Connectivity & Northeast Integration: Projects like the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project and the BBIN Motor Vehicle Agreement aim to connect India’s northeast with BIMSTEC nations​.
  • BIMSTEC Master Plan for Transport Connectivity has been adopted and a Maritime Transport Agreement signed in 2025 to boost regional integration​.
• Energy & Blue Economy Cooperation: India hosts the BIMSTEC Energy Centre in Bengaluru, and work has begun on electric grid interconnection to facilitate cross-border power trade​.
  • India and Myanmar lead renewable energy cooperation; India is also involved in sustainable maritime transport and blue economy initiatives​.
• Security & Disaster Management: India leads BIMSTEC in Counter-Terrorism, Cybersecurity, and Disaster Management sectors​.
  • Hosted 4th joint Disaster Management Exercise and proposed a Centre of Excellence for Disaster Management in 2025​.
• Trade & Economic Integration: Aims to boost intra-regional trade through the long-pending BIMSTEC Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and economic corridors..
  • India proposed the annual BIMSTEC Business Summit, a Chamber of Commerce, and feasibility studies for local currency trade in 2025​.
• Cultural Diplomacy & Youth Engagement: India is investing in soft power tools through BIMSTEC Young Leaders’ Summit, BIMSTEC Hackathon, Athletics Meet (2025), BIMSTEC Games (2027), Traditional Music Festival​.
  • Also announced, 300 youth trained annually under the “BODHI” programme and scholarships at Nalanda University​.

Challenges in BIMSTEC 

• Slow Implementation of Agreements & Projects: Despite the FTA being signed in 2004, it remains unimplemented, showing a significant gap between vision and action​.
  • Several connectivity projects, including the Trilateral Highway and Kaladan Project, have seen repeated delays due to funding, land acquisition, and political issues​​.
• Weak Institutional Capacity: The BIMSTEC Secretariat in Dhaka is understaffed and underfunded, limiting coordination and policy implementation​.
  • Lack of a permanent funding mechanism hinders large-scale regional initiatives and infrastructure development​.
• Over-Reliance on Political Consensus: BIMSTEC functions on a consensus-based model, which, while inclusive, often results in policy paralysis—especially on contentious issues like security or border disputes​.
• Inter-Member Political Differences: Myanmar’s political instability and civil conflict post-2021 coup have raised questions about member alignment and human rights concerns​.
  • Bilateral tensions (e.g., between Myanmar–Bangladesh, or India–Nepal border issues) occasionally affect multilateral cohesion​.
• Low Intra-Regional Trade: Intra-BIMSTEC trade remains below 10%, despite ambitious integration goals and repeated pushes for the FTA and trade facilitation agreements​.
• Limited Visibility and Public Awareness: BIMSTEC lacks the public diplomacy and brand visibility of other regional groups like ASEAN.
  • People-to-people links remain weak despite India’s efforts (e.g., festivals, scholarships), and private sector involvement is still minimal​.
• Competing Regional Platforms: Nations like Thailand and Myanmar are also part of ASEAN, and Bangladesh has growing ties with China via the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
  • BIMSTEC risks being overshadowed by better-funded and more active platforms.

Major Initiatives by BIMSTEC

• Institutional Framework & Charter: BIMSTEC Charter adopted at the 5th Summit (Colombo, 2022), grants legal personality and formal structure​.
  • Adoption of Rules of Procedure at 6th Summit (Bangkok, 2025) to streamline the functioning of bodies and meetings​.
• Sectoral Reorganisation: Earlier 14 sectors reduced to 7 priority sectors for more focused cooperation in 2022. 
• BIMSTEC Master Plan for Transport Connectivity: Adopted in 2022 to enhance multi-modal regional transport networks​.
  • Involved in:
    • Kaladan Multi-modal Transit Project
    • India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway
• Maritime and Port Connectivity Initiatives
  • BIMSTEC Maritime Transport Cooperation Agreement (2025): Signed at the 6th Summit (Bangkok).
    • Provisions include: National treatment to vessels, Joint Shipping Coordination Committee, Mutual recognition of seafarer certificates, Dispute resolution framework​.
  • BIMSTEC Conclave of Ports (2019, India): Organized to promote Port-to-port linkages, Maritime logistics cooperation and Blue Economy initiatives​
  • BIMSTEC Coastal Shipping Agreement (Drafted): Seeks to reduce logistics cost and time.
    • Aims to ease short-sea shipping between littoral states in the Bay of Bengal​
• BIMSTEC Free Trade Area Framework Agreement (BFTAFA): Signed in 2004, though not yet implemented.
  • Forms the legal foundation for Trade in goods and services, Investment cooperation and Trade facilitation and standards harmonization​.
• Security and Counter-Terrorism Cooperation
  • BIMSTEC Working Groups on Counter-terrorism & transnational crimes, Maritime security, and Cyber security.
  • MILEX-18: First joint military field exercise among BIMSTEC nations (hosted by India in 2018).
  • Regular meetings of National Security Chiefs to coordinate responses to regional threats.
• Energy Grid Integration: MoU for establishing the BIMSTEC Grid Interconnection was signed in 2018, during the Fourth BIMSTEC Summit in Kathmandu, Nepal, 
  • Aiming to facilitate electricity trade and promote regional energy cooperation.
  • BIMSTEC Energy Centre located in Bengaluru, India but functions for all members​
• Disaster Management Framework: Institutionalized after the 2004 tsunami and repeated cyclones.
  • Includes:
    • BIMSTEC Disaster Management Exercises (DMEx)
    • Creation of standard operating procedures
    • Joint early warning and risk reduction efforts

Way Forward for BIMSTEC

• Accelerate Implementation of Agreements: Expedite long-pending initiatives like the BIMSTEC Free Trade Agreement (BFTAFA) and the Coastal Shipping Agreement.
  • Adopt binding timelines and performance monitoring to move from intent to execution.
• Strengthen Institutional Capacity: Augment the BIMSTEC Secretariat in Dhaka with more staff, expertise, and budgetary autonomy.
  • Establish permanent working groups for key sectors and consider setting up a dedicated BIMSTEC Development Fund.
• Enhance Connectivity on Multiple Fronts: Ensure timely implementation of the Master Plan for Transport Connectivity.
  • Integrate digital infrastructure, cross-border power grids, and data exchange platforms to build a seamless economic zone.
• Promote Inclusive & Participatory Regionalism: Actively engage civil society, private sector, think tanks, and academia through Track 1.5 and Track 2 dialogues.
  • Institutionalize annual Youth Conclaves, Business Forums, and Tech Summits.
• Focus on Sectoral Cooperation for Regional Resilience: Expand collaboration in public health, climate change, agriculture, and disaster risk reduction.
  • Operationalize Centres of Excellence in areas like disaster management, agriculture, and traditional medicine.
• Deepen Security Collaboration with Trust and Transparency: Strengthen cooperation on counter-terrorism, cybersecurity, and maritime security through joint training, intelligence sharing, and capacity building.
• Build a Shared Regional Identity: Promote people-to-people linkages through culture, sports, and education.
• • Leverage initiatives like the BIMSTEC Games (2027), Music Festivals, and BODHI programme to foster a sense of community across the Bay of Bengal region.

Conclusion

The 6th BIMSTEC Summit highlights India’s proactive role in strengthening regional integration through strategic initiatives, capacity-building programs, and fostering robust people-to-people connections, aligning with India’s vision of shared prosperity, security, and sustainable growth in the Indo-Pacific region.

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