What is BIMSTEC 2018 , Inception, Focus Area and Significance

BIMSTEC stands for ‘Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economical Cooperation‘. It is a regional organization of seven member state in south asia and south east asia. This sub-regional organization came into being 6 June, 1997 through the Bangkok declaration, headquarted in Daka, Bangladesh. It includes Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand. Starting with six sector including trade, technology, energy, transport, tourism and fisheries for sectorial cooperation in late 1997. It embrace 9 more including agriculture, public health, poverty alleviation, counter terrorism. environment culture, people to people contact and climate change in 2008. This fourth BIMSTEC summit being held in Kathmandu, Nepal on August 30 and 31. It anonymously adopted the Kathmandu declaration calling for a peaceful prosperous and sustainable Bay of Bengal region. They approach that terrorism is a great threat to an international peace and security and pledge to jointy combat terrorism.

BIMSTEC 2018

Fifth – BIMSTEC Summit is hosted by Colombo, Srilanka.

BIMSTEC Summit 2018 Theme

The theme of the fourth BIMSTEC summit 2018 is ‘Towards a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable Bay of Bengal region’.

BIMSTEC Countries Map

What is BIMSTEC

  • Bridge between South and South East Asia, it represents reinforcement of relations among these countries.
  • It includes countries of Bay of Bengal regions.
  • Established a platform for intra-regional cooperation between SAARC and ASEAN members.
  • BIMSTEC region is home to around 1.5 billion people.
  • Constitutes around 22% of the global population with a combined gross domestic product (GDP) of 2.7 trillion dollar economy.
  • All seven countries have sustained average annual rates of growth between 3.4 % and 7.5 % from 2012 to 2016.

Kathmandu Declaration

  • Mutual respect for sovereign equality, territorial integrity political independence, mutual benefit.
  • Achieving a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable Bay of Bengal Region.
  • Enhanced level of economic and social development in the region.
  • Faith in principles and purposes of the UN Charter and efforts to strengthen it.

BIMSTEC Combating Terrorism

  • Deplore terrorist attacks in all parts of the world.
  • Strongly condemn terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.
  • No justification whatsoever for any act of terrorism.
  • Identify and hold accountable States and non-State entities that encourage, support or finance terrorism.
  • Call upon all countries to devise a comprehensive approach to stop terrorism.

In his address, PM Modi appeals to BIMSTEC members to ensure regional peace and security for the development of the region. He also urged nation to unite to combat terrorism for prosperous development.  PM calls  for enhancing connectivity in trade, economy, transport and cooperation in disaster relief. PM Modi holds bilateral meetings on sidelines of summit.  He also invited all the BIMSTEC leader to attend Buddhist International conclave in 2020.

Ahead of concluding summit, leaders of seven group meet for retreat.

(About) Inception of BIMSTEC 

  • BIMSTEC is a sector-driven cooperative organisation.
  • Formed on June 6, 1997 through Bangkok Declaration.
  • Permanent Secretariat in Dhaka.
  • 7 member States : 5 from South Asia including Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and 2 states from Southeast Asia including Myanmar and Thailand.
  • Initially, it was formed with four member states with acronym ‘BIST-EC’ which was Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka and Thailand Economic Cooperation.
  • With the inclusion of Myanmar on 22 December 1997 in a special Ministerial meeting in Bangkok, the Group was renamed ‘BIMST-EC’.
  • Admission of Nepal and Bhutan at the 6th Ministerial Meeting on February 2004 in Thailand, it became BIMSTEC.
  • Starting with 6 sectors including trade, technologies, energy, transport, tourism and fisheries for sectorial cooperation in late 1997. It expanded to embrace 9 more sectors agriculture, public health, poverty alleviation, counter terrorism, environment and culture and people to people contact and climate change in 2008.

BIMSTEC Summit List

  • 1st BIMSTEC held on July 31, 2004, Bangkok.
  • 2nd summit on November 13, 2008, New Delhi.
  • 3rd summit on March 4, 2014, Nay PyiDaw, Myanmar.
  • 4th summit on Aug 30, 31, 2018 , Kathmandu, Nepal

Area of Cooperation

  • 1997 : Trade, technology, energy, transport, tourism and fisheries.
  • 2008 : Nine sectors added agriculture, public health, poverty alleviation, counter terrorism, environment and culture and people to people contact and climate change.

Principles of BIMSTEC

  • Represents 1.6 billion people of diverse culture.
  • Respect principles of sovereign equality, territorial integrity, political independence, non interference in internal affairs, peaceful co-existence and mutual benefit.
  • Constitute an addition to and not be substitute for bilateral, regional or multilateral cooperation involving member states.

BIMSTEC Priority Sectors

  • Trade and Investment, led by Bangladesh
  • Transport and Communication, led by India
  • Energy, led by Myanmar
  • Tourism, led by India
  • Technology, led by Sri Lanka
  • Fisheries, led by Thailand
  • Agriculture, led by Myanmar
  • Public Health, led by Thailand
  • Poverty Alleviation, led by Nepal
  • Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Crime, led by India
  • Environment and Natural Disaster Management, led by India
  • Culture, led by Bhutan
  • People to People contract, led by Thailand
  • Climate Change, led by Bangladesh

Objectives of SAARC

SAARC Countries Map

  • Promoting welfare of the people.
  • Accelerating economic growth, social progress and cultural development.
  • Strengthening collective self-reliance.
  • Contribute to mutual trust and understanding among member nations.
  • Strengthening cooperating with other developing countries.
  • Cooperating with international and regional organisation.

SAARC Failure

  • Lack of trust among member nations – India and Pakistan.
  • Pakistan’s non-cooperation on major initiative.
  • SAARC-MVA (Motor Vehicle Agreement) not signed due to Pakistan’s dithering.
  • 19th SAARC Summit in Pakistan postponed indefinitely after members declined to participate.

Difference between SAARC and BIMSTEC

Two organisations SAARC and BIMSTEC focus on geographically overlapping region but they are not equal alternative. SAARC is purely regional organisation whereas BIMSTEC is inter-regional and connects both South Asia and the Asian. But they have overlapping address in term of functions and votes. To understand the importance of these organisations and their differences, it is necessary to understand for the need of regional cooperation in South Asia.

SAARC BIMSTEC
South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economical Cooperation
An organisation of eight countries located in the South Asia 7 countries in South Asia
The Secretariat of this organisation is located in Kathmandu Headquatered in Daka, Bangladesh
It is around 1.7 billion of the people and it is 21% of the world population It is home to around 1.5 billion people and 22% of the global population
Failure of Trust. In its 30 years of experience, SAARC failed to hold 11 annual summits for political reasons, both at bilateral and internal level. Trusted
It was established with the signing of the SAARC Charter in Dhaka on 8th Dec 1985. 6 Jun 1977 through Bangkok declaration
Attitude of Pakistan has been blocking connectivity initiative i.e. SAARC-MTA, Railway Agreement,  refusing to cooperative on combating cross-border terrorism Cooperative all 7 countries.

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  1. Your website showing wrong map of India. Without Half part of J&K. Request you to remove wrong photo and upload right full map. Its under BIMSTEC news section

    1. Sure, Sandeep… we will update it soon.

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