6th BIMSTEC Summit 2025: Key Highlights, India's Role & Relevance for UPSC Aspirants

What is BIMSTEC?

BIMSTEC stands for the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation. It is a regional organization formed in 1997 through the Bangkok Declaration. BIMSTEC's goal is to strengthen collaboration across South and Southeast Asian countries located around the Bay of Bengal.

Unlike SAARC, which has faced roadblocks due to political tensions (especially between India and Pakistan), BIMSTEC provides a fresh platform for like-minded countries to cooperate on various fronts, such as economic growth, trade, connectivity, disaster management, energy, and security.

Member Countries of BIMSTEC

BIMSTEC has seven member countries:

  1. Bangladesh

  2. Bhutan

  3. India

  4. Myanmar

  5. Nepal

  6. Sri Lanka

  7. Thailand

These nations represent a bridge between South Asia and Southeast Asia and are home to around 1.7 billion people – nearly 22% of the global population.

Aims and Objectives of BIMSTEC

The primary objectives of BIMSTEC are:

  • To accelerate shared economic growth and social progress.

  • Promote regional trade, technology, energy, transportation, tourism, and fisheries cooperation.

  • Foster peace and stability in the Bay of Bengal region.

  • Enhance connectivity (both physical and digital) to deepen integration.

Recent Context: The 6th BIMSTEC Summit 2025

The 6th BIMSTEC Summit was held on April 4, 2025, in Bangkok, Thailand. The summit was hosted by Thailand, which also held the chairmanship of BIMSTEC.

The theme of the summit was:

"BIMSTEC: Prosperous, Resilient, and Open."

This summit came at a crucial time, especially after the global COVID-19 pandemic, rising geopolitical tensions, and natural disasters like the March 2025 earthquake that severely affected Myanmar and Thailand. BIMSTEC countries gathered with renewed focus on cooperation, sustainability, and resilience.

Key Outcomes of the 6th BIMSTEC Summit

  1. Adoption of the Bangkok Vision 2030:

    • A long-term strategic roadmap aiming to make BIMSTEC a "Prosperous, Resilient, and Open" region.

    • Focuses on deepening connectivity, enhancing trade, and improving disaster management and climate resilience.

  2. Agreement on Maritime Transport Cooperation:

    • Signed to boost maritime trade, connectivity, and shipping services among member countries.

  3. BIMSTEC Rules of Procedure:

    • Formalizes and streamlines decision-making and operational mechanisms within the grouping.

  4. Condolence and Commitment to Disaster Relief:

    • Leaders expressed solidarity with Myanmar and Thailand, affected by the earthquake, and emphasized cooperation in disaster preparedness.

  5. Endorsement of the Eminent Persons' Group Report:

    • Provides strategic recommendations for strengthening BIMSTEC institutions and coordination.

  6. MoUs with International Bodies:

    • Including organizations like IORA and UNODC to strengthen regional collaboration on maritime security and transnational crime.

India’s Contribution and Initiatives

India played a proactive and constructive role in the summit. PM Narendra Modi proposed a 21-point action plan that reflects India's commitment to making BIMSTEC more functional, inclusive, and future-ready.

Here are some key Indian initiatives:

  1. Institution Building:

    • India proposed setting up BIMSTEC Centres of Excellence:

      • In Disaster Management (New Delhi)

      • On Sustainable Maritime Transport and Traditional Medicine

      • For Agriculture Research and Training

  2. Youth and Skill Development (BODHI):

    • India launched the BIMSTEC for Organized Development of Human Resource Infrastructure (BODHI) initiative.

    • Under BODHI, training and scholarship opportunities will be offered to students, professionals, and researchers from BIMSTEC countries.

  3. Digital Public Infrastructure:

    • India offered to conduct a feasibility study for Digital Public Infrastructure to boost digital cooperation and e-governance.

  4. Cancer Care Program:

    • India proposed a capacity-building initiative to strengthen cancer care across member countries.

  5. People-to-People Initiatives:

    • BIMSTEC Athletics Meet (2025),

    • BIMSTEC Traditional Music Festival,

    • BIMSTEC Games (2027),

    • These cultural and sporting events aim to deepen regional integration beyond politics and economy.

India's approach demonstrates its vision for BIMSTEC as a people-centric, technology-driven, and resilient organization.

Challenges of BIMSTEC

Despite progress, BIMSTEC faces several hurdles:

  1. Slow Implementation: Declarations often don't translate into action due to lack of political will and bureaucratic delays.

  2. Funding Constraints: Financial resources and sustained funding for projects remain limited.

  3. Institutional Weakness: The Secretariat needs more authority, manpower, and technical support.

  4. Overlapping Mandates: Presence of other regional bodies like SAARC, IORA creates confusion and duplication.

  5. Internal Instability: Political instability in member states like Myanmar hinders cooperation.

Conclusion

The 6th BIMSTEC Summit served as a milestone in the journey of regional integration among Bay of Bengal countries. It reinforced the importance of cooperative diplomacy, inclusive growth, and sustainable development. India’s leadership and vision, especially through initiatives like BODHI and the push for maritime connectivity, showed how regional groupings can evolve to meet 21st-century challenges. The summit was not just about grand declarations but pragmatic steps aimed at people-centric progress, security collaboration, and disaster preparedness. With geopolitical complexities rising in the Indo-Pacific, BIMSTEC has the potential to emerge as a more action-oriented and efficient alternative to SAARC.

Why It Matters for UPSC and Other Exams

BIMSTEC has emerged as a key regional grouping for India, especially when SAARC has become inactive. It ties into multiple areas of the UPSC syllabus:

For Prelims:

  • Organizations and groupings (static + current affairs)

  • Geography (Bay of Bengal region)

For Mains:

  • GS Paper II (International Relations): India's foreign policy, regional cooperation, India's neighborhood.

  • GS Paper III (Security): Maritime security, disaster management cooperation.

  • Essay and Ethics: Regional cooperation, sustainable development, disaster resilience.

Why Exam Aspirants Should Care:

  • BIMSTEC reflects India's Act East, Neighbourhood First, and Indo-Pacific strategies.

  • It shows how regionalism can work without being hostage to bilateral tensions (unlike SAARC).

  • Themes of connectivity, trade, digital infrastructure, and people-to-people ties are all highly relevant in today’s evolving geopolitics.

Previous Year Questions (PYQs) Related to BIMSTEC

UPSC Prelims:

  • 2022: With reference to the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), consider the following statements:

    1. BIMSTEC is a free trade initiative among SAARC countries.

    2. India is the lead country for transport and communication in BIMSTEC.

    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    • A. 1 only

    • B. 2 only ✅

    • C. Both 1 and 2

    • D. Neither 1 nor 2

UPSC Mains:

  • 2019 GS Paper II: "The long-standing border issue between India and China, coupled with increasing Chinese influence in the region, necessitates that India strengthens its regional platforms like BIMSTEC." Discuss.

  • 2020 GS Paper II: "India’s regional strategy is witnessing a shift from SAARC to BIMSTEC. Examine the reasons and implications."

UPPCS:

  • 2021 Prelims: BIMSTEC does not include which of the following countries?

    • A. Bhutan

    • B. Pakistan ✅

    • C. Nepal

    • D. Sri Lanka

SSC CGL/CHSL (General Awareness Section):

  • BIMSTEC was established through which of the following declarations?

    • A. Dhaka Declaration

    • B. Kathmandu Declaration

    • C. Bangkok Declaration ✅

    • D. Colombo Declaration

These questions underline the importance of staying updated with BIMSTEC developments for Prelims, Mains, and interview preparation.

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