New Delhi is getting set to host the foreign ministers of the BIMSTEC grouping later in the week. The meeting on July 11, is a precursor to the upcoming BIMSTEC summit scheduled for September in Thailand, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to participate.
In a show of regional solidarity, leaders from Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Mauritius, and Seychelles attended Prime Minister Modi’s oath-taking ceremony last month.
A significant development for BIMSTEC this year was the implementation of the BIMSTEC Charter, which provides a legal and institutional framework for the group. This charter allows for the admission of new members and the formation of agreements with other countries and organizations. The current Secretary General of BIMSTEC, Indra Mani Pandey, is an Indian diplomat, marking the first time an Indian has held this position.
India’s commitment to BIMSTEC is evident through its efforts to connect South Asia with Southeast Asia. The upcoming Foreign Ministers meeting is just the beginning of a series of initiatives aimed at fostering regional cooperation. Following this meeting, New Delhi will also host a BIMSTEC National Security Advisors (NSA) meeting later in July. India leads BIMSTEC in areas such as counter-terrorism, transnational crime, disaster management, and energy.
In August, India plans to organize a major BIMSTEC Business Summit, the first of its kind, further emphasizing its role in the group. Prime Minister Modi is expected to attend the BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok in September. Additionally, India is set to establish three BIMSTEC centers of excellence, including one focused on maritime transport, which is crucial for connectivity between South Asia and Southeast Asia.
These initiatives come amid growing Chinese influence in the Bay of Bengal region. China has established control over ports in Myanmar and Sri Lanka and is seeking a foothold in a deep-sea port near the Andaman & Nicobar Islands. This increasing presence directly impacts India’s security and its role as a regional security provider.
What is BIMSTEC?
The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is a seven-member organization that includes Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. This group, which focuses on enhancing cooperation among countries bordering the Bay of Bengal, has been increasingly active in recent years.
BIMSTEC was established on June 6, 1997, with the signing of the Bangkok Declaration. Initially called BIST-EC (Bangladesh-India-Sri Lanka-Thailand Economic Cooperation), it was later renamed BIMSTEC with the inclusion of Myanmar in December 1997 and Bhutan and Nepal in February 2004. The BIMSTEC Charter, signed and adopted during the Fifth BIMSTEC Summit held virtually in Colombo on March 30, 2022, further solidified the group’s framework and objectives.
The inaugural BIMSTEC Foreign Ministers meeting was held in Bangkok, Thailand, last year. Hosting this event aligns with New Delhi’s “Neighbourhood First” policy, which emphasizes strengthening relations with neighboring countries.