The Sixth BIMSTEC Summit will be held in Bangkok on April 4th, focusing on regional cooperation, the Bangkok Vision 2030, a maritime transport agreement, and India's leading role.
BIMSTEC Summit: The sixth summit of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is scheduled for April 4th in Bangkok. This summit follows the previous one held in Colombo on March 30th, 2022, after a gap of three years. A meeting of senior officials will precede the summit on April 2nd, followed by a meeting of foreign ministers on April 3rd.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will depart for Bangkok on April 4th to attend the summit. This year's theme is "Prosperous, Resilient, and Open BIMSTEC," reflecting the regional platform's commitment to economic cooperation and integration.
Summit Agenda and Key Decisions
The sixth BIMSTEC summit will emphasize strengthening cooperation among the seven member states: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. Several significant agreements and proposals are expected to be finalized. Key highlights include:
BIMSTEC Summit Declaration – This will present the perspectives and directions of the member countries' leaders.
Bangkok Vision 2030 – This strategic roadmap will provide guidelines for future cooperation and regional development.
Maritime Transport Cooperation Agreement – This agreement will help improve trade and travel facilities in the Bay of Bengal region.
Security and Development Cooperation – Discussions will focus on addressing economic and security challenges among member states.
BIMSTEC's Objectives and Regional Significance
BIMSTEC's primary objective is to foster economic and strategic cooperation in the Bay of Bengal region. The organization particularly focuses on seven key areas: agriculture and food security, connectivity, environment and climate change, science and technology, trade and investment, security, and people-to-people contact. Furthermore, it emphasizes enhancing cooperation in eight sub-sectors, including the blue economy, disaster management, and health.
India's Role and Leadership
India is a prominent founding member of BIMSTEC, and its role on this platform is considered extremely important. India contributes 32% to the BIMSTEC secretariat's budget and hosts two BIMSTEC centers:
BIMSTEC Weather and Climate Centre (Noida, Uttar Pradesh)
BIMSTEC Energy Centre (Bengaluru)
Additionally, India has proposed establishing three new centers of excellence in agriculture, disaster management, and maritime transport. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been a key driving force behind the organization. He hosted the BIMSTEC Retreat in Goa in 2016 and announced a $1 million financial assistance at the 5th BIMSTEC summit to strengthen the organization's institutional capacity.
Prioritizing BIMSTEC over SAARC
In recent years, India has focused more on BIMSTEC due to the disruptions in the SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) forum caused by Pakistan. No SAARC summit has been held since the Uri attack in 2016, rendering the organization largely inactive. Consequently, India has begun to prioritize BIMSTEC under its "Neighborhood First" and "Act East" policies.
A Strategy to Counter China
India is employing the BIMSTEC platform as a strategy to counter China's expansionism. China is striving to strengthen its hold in the Bay of Bengal region, but India is using this platform to further solidify its relationships with member countries. By increasing economic and strategic cooperation with BIMSTEC member states, India aims to mitigate China's influence. Effective Indian leadership within the organization would make it difficult for member countries to fall under China's sway.
