Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) has successfully concluded the 6th Summit in Bangkok on 4th April, under the theme of Prosperous, Resilient, and Open or PRO BIMSTEC, with the vision of greater integration of the region in all the possible sectors of cooperation. BIMSTEC is an inter-regional organization of Bay of Bengal littoral states that connects South and Southeast Asia. It was formed in 1997 through the Bangkok Declaration with four founding members – Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. The grouping extended to seven members; Myanmar joined in December 1997, and Nepal and Bhutan followed in 2004. The Bay of Bengal region is home to around 1.8 billion people, nearly 22 per cent of the global population, with a combined GDP of US$ 5.2 trillion and 25 per cent of world trade travels through this region.
However, it was not given its due attention for nearly two decades because SAARC was expected to be the engine for regional integration in South Asia. As SAARC was paralyzed due to Indo-Pak tension over terrorism, BIMSTEC emerged as a natural alternative for regional integration.
Outcome of the 6th BIMSTEC Summit
Among the major initiatives taken during the summit, the BIMSTEC Bangkok Vision 2030 is the pivotal one. This first-ever vision document of the organization is a strategic framework to transform the region into a Prosperous, Resilient, and Open or PRO BIMSTEC. Another key outcome is the agreement on Maritime Transport Cooperation to boost trade and investment in key maritime infrastructure, enhance port efficiency, and harmonize maritime policies of the region for a smooth flow of goods and services.
The leaders also signed memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with the Indian Ocean Rim Association and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, demonstrating the willingness to collaborate with other regional and international organizations that have shared interests. Following the adoption of the charter at the Colombo Summit in 2022, BIMSTEC has further formalized its institutional mechanism by adopting “Rules of Procedure” at this summit. Amid a range of initiatives, the adoption of the Eminent Persons Group on the Future Direction of BIMSTEC is among the notable ones; it provides comprehensive recommendations for the future development of the organization. Through these initiatives, BIMSTEC reaffirms its position as the vehicle of regional integration in the Bay of Bengal region and responds constructively to the allegations of planning deficiencies.
India’s leading role
India, being the elephant in the region, must shoulder the lion’s share of responsibilities, but its approach towards regionalism in the late 21st century was sceptical. Gradually, India moved beyond its initial scepticism and adopted a proactive role in SAARC. However, it failed. As a result, India pivoted towards BIMSTEC. In this regard, Prime Minister Modi played a key role in pushing the regionalism agenda forward. In 2016, PM Modi hosted the BIMSTEC leaders’ retreat on the sidelines of the BRICS summit, which was seen as a turning point in India’s approach towards BIMSTEC. He again invited all the BIMSTEC members to his swearing-in ceremony in 2019, in contrast to SAARC members in 2014, signalling India’s shifting priority from SAARC to BIMSTEC. With 32 per cent, India is also the largest contributor to the BIMSTEC secretariat. During the BIMSTEC 6th Summit in Thailand, PM Modi reinforced India’s commitment by outlining 21-point proposals of cooperation across multiple domains. In the business sector, he proposed the establishment of the BIMSTEC Chamber of Commerce, an annual BIMSTEC business summit and a feasibility study on exploring the possibilities of trade in local currency in the region. India also aims to support BIMSTEC countries by leveraging its digital experience. In this regard, Modi has proposed a pilot study to assess their needs on digital public infrastructure. Most importantly, India suggested connecting its Unified Payments Interface (UPI) with the payment system of the region to foster trade and tourism. BIMSTEC is also gradually enhancing its cooperation in the non-traditional security sector; taking it forward, India will hold the first-ever Home Minister meeting this year. In the capacity-building sector, India would train 300 youth and young diplomats and provide scholarships to the students of member states annually. Any regional organization must not be confined to intergovernmental and bureaucratic level engagement, it must incorporate diverse stakeholders of the region. These 21 points proposed a series of notable initiatives in this regard, including hosting BIMSTEC Athletes Meets and BIMSTEC Traditional Music festivals this year and the BIMSTEC games in 2027 in India. India also aims to share its digital expertise with BIMSTEC members; therefore, a pilot study is proposed to assess the digital public infrastructure needs of the member countries. India must exert every effort to strengthen BIMSTEC, as India’s broader maritime interests in the Indian Ocean, Neighborhood First, and Act East policy strategically align with a robust and sustainable BIMSTEC. The strategic priorities of this group complement India’s strategic goals by connecting South and Southeast Asia, enhancing trade and connectivity, and strengthening coordination in maritime security and non-traditional security sectors.
Promise Vs Reality
Despite deep-rooted cultural affinities and historical interconnectedness, BIMSTEC’s progress remains impeded by numerous structural and political challenges. In 28 years of existence, it had only six summits, showing the lack of political will of the leaders. Although BIMSTEC’s auxiliary bureaucratic mechanisms engage consistently, they rely on the summit for strategic direction. Twenty-one years ago, BIMSTEC adopted the Free Trade Agreement, and it has yet to come into force, blocking regional “economic integration”, the fundamental purpose for which the organization was established. BIMSTEC also cooperates in non-traditional security sectors, including natural disasters, with various mechanisms such as the Expert Group on Disaster Management, three Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief (HARD) exercises so far. Nevertheless, BIMSTEC as a collective grouping has not yet taken any concrete actions beyond issuing a grandiose joint statement on the recent devastating earthquakes in Myanmar and Thailand that has caused the loss of 3,654 lives. It indicates the lack of commitment and effectiveness of the organization in time of need. Although member countries are providing assistance based on their capacity, that is purely bilateral.
The significance of BIMSTEC can be evaluated by the disproportionate attention generated by the sideline meetings of Modi-Yunus, Modi-Min Aung Hlaing, rather than the summit itself, which highlights that regionalism is not the top priority in the region. India’s big brother syndrome is another key obstacle in the process of regionalism, as the smaller nations exhibit scepticism about India’s substantial physical and economic size and influence. This was evident when Nepal and Thailand participated as observers rather than full participants in the first-ever BIMSTEC Joint military exercises, MILEX-2018, due to domestic political pressure. This cautious engagement underscores the strategic balance smaller nations maintain between regional collaboration and the self-perceived notion of neutrality. To mitigate this, India needs to ensure more inclusive, equitable and collaborative engagement in BIMSTEC.
[Photo by Prime Minister’s Office , GODL-India, via Wikimedia Commons]
Kalyan Roy holds a Master’s degree in Political Science from the University of North Bengal, India. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author.
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