BIMSTEC

BIMSTEC, the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation, is a regional intergovernmental organization that brings together states from South Asia and Southeast Asia to promote regional cooperation and development around the Bay of Bengal. The member states are Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Nepal, and Bhutan.

The organization aims to accelerate economic development, social progress, and poverty reduction through cooperation across multiple sectors. Core areas of activity include trade and investment, connectivity and transport, energy cooperation, technology and innovation, tourism, agriculture and food security, public health, climate resilience, and disaster management. BIMSTEC operates as a platform to coordinate policy, implement joint projects, and share best practices among its members.

Historically, BIMSTEC traces its origins to the Bangkok Declaration of 1997. The first BIMSTEC Summit was held in 2004 in Bangkok, signaling a commitment to broader regional cooperation. A dedicated BIMSTEC Secretariat was established in Dhaka, Bangladesh, in 2014 to coordinate and promote programs and sectoral activities. The structure of BIMSTEC includes summits of heads of state or government, ministerial meetings, and sectoral coordination committees that oversee joint initiatives and projects.

In practice, BIMSTEC has pursued initiatives such as discussions toward a BIMSTEC Free Trade Area, a Transport Connectivity Master Plan, and sector-specific cooperation in energy, agriculture, tourism, and public health. The framework is viewed as a bridge between South Asia and Southeast Asia, complementing other regional architectures and emphasizing connectivity, economic integration, and people-to-people links. Challenges include uneven development, governance and funding issues, and the complexity of aligning diverse member interests.