9th April 2025 (9 Topics)
1
Apr
2
Apr
3
Apr
4
Apr
5
Apr
7
Apr
8
Apr
9
Apr
10
Apr
11
Apr
12
Apr
14
Apr
15
Apr
16
Apr
A Regional Revival
You must be logged in to get greater insights. click here to login
Context
The sixth BIMSTEC Summit was recently held in Bangkok, marking a renewed effort to revitalise the grouping amidst years of inactivity, regional tensions, and global uncertainty.
Strategic Importance and Institutional Revival
- Shift from SAARC to BIMSTEC: With SAARC stagnating post-2014 due to India-Pakistan tensions and the BBIN sub-grouping failing after Bhutan’s withdrawal from the Motor Vehicles Agreement, India is now prioritising BIMSTEC as a regional alternative.
- Summit Amidst Adversity: The 2024 summit was held despite disruptions like the Myanmar-Thailand earthquake and post-COVID delays, signalling member countries' political will to revive regional cooperation.
- Institutional Strengthening Measures: Key deliverables included the establishment of a BIMSTEC Chamber of Commerce and reaffirmation of the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway project, aimed at linking India’s North-East with the ASEAN region.
Key Sectoral Initiatives and Regional Vision
- Vision 2030 Document: Adoption of a comprehensive roadmap emphasising connectivity, disaster management mechanisms, trade liberalisation, and customs cooperation highlights the long-term agenda for regional integration.
- Disaster Management Focus: Given the region’s vulnerability to natural disasters, a collective framework for disaster response and resilience-building has been identified as a critical area for cooperation.
- Connectivity as Strategic Priority: The BIMSTEC region is being reimagined through infrastructure links like the Trilateral Highway and regional transport corridors to position India’s North-East as a connectivity hub to Southeast Asia.
Bilateral Diplomacy and Regional Politics
- India-Bangladesh Reset: PM Modi and Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser held talks addressing concerns over minority rights and border killings, aiming to defuse recent bilateral tensions through dialogue.
- India-Nepal Diplomatic Opening: PM Modi’s meeting with K.P. Sharma Oli after months of estrangement may help pave the way for future engagement and conflict resolution between the two neighbours.
- Inclusion of Myanmar’s Military Leadership: Myanmar’s participation via General Min Aung Hlaing reflected a balancing act, with India using the summit platform to advocate for democratic restoration in both Myanmar and Bangladesh.
Practice Question
Q. Evaluate the strategic and institutional evolution of BIMSTEC in the context of regional multilateralism in South and Southeast Asia. How does it address the vacuum left by SAARC’s inactivity? Discuss with reference to recent developments and long-term initiatives like Vision 2030.
More Articles
Courses
Study
Notes
Home
Resources
More
