15th July 2025 (14 Topics)

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2nd BIMSTEC Ports Conclave

Context:

The 2nd BIMSTEC Ports Conclave was inaugurated on 14th July 2025 in Visakhapatnam to operationalize the BIMSTEC Maritime Transport Cooperation Agreement and promote regional maritime connectivity, trade, and tourism across Bay of Bengal nations.

Event Overview:

Hosted in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh on 14–15 July 2025.
Attended by ministers, officials, port authorities, and delegates from all BIMSTEC nations—Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.
Aimed at operationalizing the BIMSTEC Agreement on Maritime Transport Cooperation (AMTC).

Key Initiatives Announced:

BIMSTEC Sustainable Maritime Transport Centre to be set up in Powai, Mumbai under the Indian Ocean Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Maritime Transport (IOCE-SMarT).
Emphasis on PPP models, port-linked industrial zones, and cruise tourism infrastructure development.
Launch of Joint Feasibility Studies for port-led industrial zones and regional supply chain integration.

Strategic Goals:

Transform Bay of Bengal into a regional hub for maritime trade and cruise tourism.
Promote port digitalization, green shipping, and cross-border workforce skill development.
Foster investment in multimodal logistics parks, coastal economic zones, SEZs, and improve hinterland connectivity.

Kaladan Project Highlight:

Recognized as a critical multimodal link connecting India’s Northeast to Myanmar and Bay of Bengal.
Envisioned as part of the Act East Policy, with potential for regional integration under BIMSTEC framework.

India’s Leadership in BIMSTEC:

India was the first country to ratify the BIMSTEC Maritime Transport Cooperation Agreement.
The conclave aligns with India's Neighbourhood First and Act East policies, emphasizing regional connectivity and sustainable development.

BIMSTEC

Membership and Geography:

BIMSTEC includes five South Asian countries (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka) and two Southeast Asian countries (Myanmar, Thailand).
It bridges South Asia and Southeast Asia, serving as a strategic platform for regional integration and cooperation.

Origin and Evolution:

Initially launched in 1997 as BIST-EC (Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand Economic Cooperation).
Myanmar joined in December 1997, leading to the name change to BIMST-EC.
With Nepal and Bhutan joining in 2004, the grouping was renamed BIMSTEC.

Key Objectives:

To promote multi-sectoral cooperation in 14 identified priority areas, including trade, investment, transport, energy, tourism, environment, public health, and counterterrorism.
Enhance regional connectivity, reduce trade barriers, and strengthen people-to-people ties.
Institutional Mechanism:
Secretariat: Located in Dhaka, Bangladesh (established in 2014).
BIMSTEC operates through Summits, Ministerial Meetings, Senior Officials' Meetings, and Working Groups.

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2nd BIMSTEC Ports Conclave