Colonel Alok Mathur, SM, (retd)
The heads of six member states of BIMSTEC group headed for Swarn Bhumi International Airport to participate in Sixth Summit being held in Bangkok, Thailand on 2-4 April 2025 under the theme of “Resilient and Open BIMSTEC “. The main Summit was held at International Convention Centre where the Prime Minister of Thailand, the chair person, welcomed all member state heads warmly and initiated the summit,
BIMSTEC is an international organisation of seven South/South East Asian Countries namely – Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand. The full form of acronym is “Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi- Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation”. The group was formed on 6 June 1997. The present Chairman is Bangladesh. The secretariat is located at Dhaka but General Secretary is from India. Initially, there were four members in this regional group i.e. Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka and Thailand (BIST-EC). It became BIMST-EC as Myanmar joined the group in December 1997. Later, in 2004, Nepal and Bhutan were inducted in to the group and it got its final name – BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal initiative for Multi Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) 0n 31 July 2004, eliminating names of members hence widening the scope for other nations to join the organisation.
The heads of Nations who attended the Summit were Narendra Modi (Prime Minister of India), Muhmmad Yunus (Chief Advisor of Bangladesh), Tshering Tobgay (Prime Minister of Bhutan), Gen Min Aung Hlaing (Prime Minister of Myanmar), K P Sharma Oli (Prime Minister of Nepal), Ms Harini Amara Suriya (Prime Minister of Sri Lanka), Ms Paetongtarn Shinawatra (Prime Minister of Thailand and Chief Host).
The main objective of the organisation is mutual trust and cooperation, assistance in case of unforeseen natural or manmade disaster, development of masses, education, technical and economic cooperation etc. The sectors identified are trade and investment, transport and communication, energy, tourism, technology, fisheries, public health, poverty alleviation, counter terrorism, environment and disaster management, people to people contact, cultural exchange and climate change.
The first Summit of the group was held at Bangkok in Thailand on 30-31 July 2004. The countries which attended were India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Thailand. The second Summit was held on 12 -13 November 2008 at New Delhi, India. The third summit was organised at Nay Pyi Daw in Myanmar on 3-4 March 2014. The fourth meet was held at Kathmandu, Nepal from 30-31 August 2018. The fifth summit was held at Colombo, Sri Lanka on 30 March 2022, this meeting was held virtual due to Covid pandemic.
The sixth summit concluded on 4 April 2025 at Bangkok, Thailand successfully. The Chairmanship of the organisation being on rotational basis, was handed over to Bangladesh t. The tenures of various members as Chairman are as listed; Bangladesh (1997-1998, 2005-2006, 2025-2026), India (2000-200, 2006-2008), Myanmar (2001-2002, 2009-2014), Nepal (2015-2018), Sri Lanka (2002-2003, 2018-2022) and Thailand (2004-2005, 2022- 2024). The Permanent Secretariat is located in Dhaka since 2014 and Secretary General is selected on 3 years rotation. Indra Mani Pandey, IFS from India is the present Secretary General of BIMSTEC.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the host – Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra
There is a great significance of BIMSTEC for India and other member nations located on coast line of Bay of Bengal.
- It strengthens India’ Act East Policy and enhancing India’ Trade and Strategic importance and develop a friendly neighbourhood.
- It is an alternative to check the growing influence of China in this region and neutralise its One Belt One Road initiative by developing region based infrastructure projects without the debt trap of Red Dragon.
- It will finally emerge as a strong platform for regional cooperation without any preconditions among member Nations and other South East Asian countries also.
- It has also proved to be alternative to SAARC, which has over the years has become defunct organisation due to Negative attitude of Pakistan
The Group has already witnessed role of India during Covid Crisis of 2021-22 when lakhs of vaccines were airlifted to all neighbours and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Tranche was provided to Myanmar in April 2025 under Operation Brahma. BIMSTEC can also promote Education and Cultural Bonding as India has established a Centre of Bay of Bengal (CBS) in Nalanda University and has offered scholarships for students from member nations.
PM Narendra Modi began his address by offering condolences to victims of devastating Earthquake at Myanmar and Thailand and assured all humanitarian assistance and disaster relief to Myanmar and appealed to all to work together in the hour of crisis. He thanked PM of Thailand for steering successfully the Group and highlighted that it was a vital bridge between South and South Asian Nations. He emphasised to further strengthen this platform of Regional Cooperation, Coordination and Development. He announced various initiatives; Disaster Relief Response Centres, Sustainable Maritime Transport link, Traditional Medicines, Research and Training centres for Agriculture and Digital Public Infrastructure. He also announced a new initiative by India named BODHI (Bimstec for Organised Development of Human Resource Infrastructure). He also announced that India will be hosting an Athletics Meet, Bimstec Games in 2027, along with a traditional music festival, Hackathon and young leaders’ summit to promote regional awareness, tourism and bonhomie among youths of the members,
The BIMSTEC platform also gives an opportunity to member countries to have bilateral meetings. Indian PM had bilateral meeting with Bangladesh Leader Muhmmad Yunus, with Thailand Prime Minister, Myanmar Gen Min Hlaing and also with Sri Lankan Prime Minister on the sidelines of the summit. There are a number of Sub-committees on various subjects like Tourism, Education. Public Health, Security and Maritime transport etc where all accompanying delegations carried out discussions and agreements benefitting all members.
The Summit adopted the following Resolutions on concluding day. Summit Declaration, BIMSTEC VISION Document 2030 which lays down the Road Map for Collective Prosperity of Region, Agreement on Maritime Cooperation and Dispute settlement mechanism, Establishment of a Think Tank of eminent persons. BIMSTEC has a bright future and will foster peace, prosperity, harmony and development in the Bay of Bengal region.
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