From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: About BIMSTEC Countries
Mains level: Significance of BIMSTEC and the South Asian countries
Why in the News?
At the first BIMSTEC Foreign Ministers’ retreat, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar emphasized that BIMSTEC must address regional challenges internally, fostering collaboration among member nations.
About BIMSTEC Countries
BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) is a regional organization comprising seven member countries lying in the littoral and adjacent areas of the Bay of Bengal. These countries are Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.
Significance of BIMSTEC:
- Economic Cooperation: Facilitates trade and investment among member countries.
- Connectivity Projects: Enhances regional connectivity through road, rail, and maritime links.
- Technical and Technological Collaboration: Promotes capacity building and technology sharing.
- Security Cooperation: Addresses transnational crimes, terrorism, and humanitarian assistance.
- Cultural Exchange: Strengthens cultural ties and people-to-people contacts.
India’s Stand on Myanmar Crisis
India has adopted a cautious and balanced approach to the crisis in Myanmar, emphasizing the following points:
- Connectivity Projects: India focuses on the importance of ongoing connectivity projects for the future of BIMSTEC, which are crucial for regional integration.
- Humanitarian Assistance: Discussions on humanitarian assistance remain limited to displaced populations and some military personnel seeking refuge in Mizoram, reflecting India’s cautious humanitarian stance.
- Border Stability: India emphasizes maintaining stability along its border with Myanmar, considering the volatile situation and the control of trade routes by Ethnic Armed Organizations (EAOs).
- Security Cooperation: Countering transnational crimes, including cyber, narcotics, and illegal arms, remains a priority, reflecting India’s security concerns.
India Pushes to Link South Asia with Southeast Asia via BIMSTEC
- Enhanced Connectivity: Promoting infrastructure projects such as road and rail links, and port development to improve trade routes.
- Encouraging cultural exchanges, tourism, and academic collaborations to strengthen regional bonds
- Economic Integration: Facilitating trade agreements and economic cooperation to boost regional trade and investment.
- Energy Cooperation: Exploring opportunities for energy trade and development, including renewable energy projects.
- Security Collaboration: Addressing common security challenges, including terrorism, human trafficking, and maritime security.
Way forward:
- Establish a Permanent Secretariat: Enhance coordination and efficiency by establishing a fully functional permanent secretariat for BIMSTEC with adequate resources and authority to implement and monitor projects.
- Promoting Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Launch joint initiatives to combat climate change, focusing on disaster risk reduction, sustainable management of natural resources, and renewable energy projects, leveraging the diverse ecological systems within the member states.
Mains PYQ:
Q Do you think that BIMSTEC is a parallel organisation like the SAARC? Waht are the similarities and dissimilarities between the two? How are Indian foreign policy objectives realized by forming this new organisation? (UPSC IAS/2022)
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