6th BIMSTEC Summit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in the 6th BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) Summit hosted by Thailand, the current chair. The theme of the Summit was - "BIMSTEC: Prosperous, Resilient and Open.”

Key-highlights of the Summit

• Prime Minister Modi announced several India-led initiatives towards institution and capacity building in BIMSTEC:
  • Centre of Excellence: BIMSTEC Centres of Excellence in India on Disaster Management, Sustainable Maritime Transport, Traditional Medicine, and Research and Training in Agriculture.
  • BODHI (BIMSTEC for Organized Development of Human Resource Infrastructure): It is a new programme for skilling the youth. Under this programme, training and scholarships would be provided to professionals, students, researchers, diplomats and others.
  • BIMSTEC Chamber of Commerce: For greater regional economic integration, PM offered to establish BIMSTEC Chamber of Commerce and to organize BIMSTEC Business Summit every year in India.
  • UPI: He also proposed establishing connectivity between India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and the payment systems of BIMSTEC member states.
• The Summit adopted the following:
  • Summit Declaration
  • BIMSTEC Bangkok Vision 2030 document, which lays out the road map for the collective prosperity of the region.
  • Signing of the BIMSTEC Maritime Transport Agreement, which provides for – National Treatment and assistance to vessels, crew and cargo; mutual recognition of certificates/ documents; Joint Shipping Coordination Committee; and dispute settlement mechanism.
  • Report of the BIMSTEC Eminent Persons Group constituted to make recommendations for future direction for the BIMSTEC.

What is the significance of BIMSTEC?

• BIMSTEC provides a common platform for countries in South Asia and Southeast Asia at a time when the SAARC is more or less defunct. While the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is seen as one of more cohesive groupings in the world, the lack of forward movement in the fraught India-Pakistan relationship has left few options for South Asian countries.
• Landlocked countries, Nepal and Bhutan, may also benefit from access to the Bay of Bengal as a result of better ties with BIMSTEC countries.
• BIMSTEC could allow India to push a constructive agenda to counter Chinese investments, and the Bay of Bengal can be showcased as open and peaceful, contrasting with China’s behaviour in the South China Sea.

How India is rewriting South Asia's regional diplomacy through BIMSTEC?

• Moving Beyond SAARC: India’s increasing focus on BIMSTEC reflects its conscious move away from the SAARC framework, which has long been hindered by political tensions—particularly with Pakistan.
• Anchoring BIMSTEC in India’s Core Foreign Policy: BIMSTEC now lies at the intersection of India’s Neighbourhood First and Act East policies—making it central to India’s regional and trans-regional outreach. The group connects South Asia with Southeast Asia, offering a platform to expand India’s influence eastwards while reinforcing neighbourhood ties.
  • PM Modi’s articulation of BIMSTEC as a “natural platform” bridging the two regions aligns with India’s maritime vision under the SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) doctrine, placing the Bay of Bengal at the heart of strategic cooperation.
• BIMSTEC Vision 2030:  India played a central role in adopting the Bangkok Vision 2030, which envisions BIMSTEC as a region of prosperity, security, and inclusivity. This long-term blueprint reflects India’s commitment to shaping a rules-based, development-focused regional order that prioritises collective progress over bilateral frictions.