Key Terms & Concepts — UPSC Mains
BIMSTEC
"A seven-member regional grouping linking South and Southeast Asia around the Bay of Bengal for economic and technical cooperation."
BIMSTEC, the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation, is a regional organisation of seven members: India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Thailand. Formed in 1997 (as BIST-EC) with its Secretariat in Dhaka, it bridges South Asia and Southeast Asia and cooperates across sectors such as trade, connectivity, security, energy and disaster management. It gained fresh momentum as SAARC stalled, aligning with India's Act East and Neighbourhood First policies.
GS2 (regional groupings involving India). Prelims tests the seven members, the 1997 origin and the Dhaka Secretariat. Mains uses BIMSTEC to discuss Bay of Bengal regionalism and alternatives to SAARC. Anchor: the 6th BIMSTEC Summit was held in Bangkok on April 4, 2025 under the theme Prosperous, Resilient and Open BIMSTEC, adopting a Bangkok Vision 2030, after which Thailand handed the chairmanship to Bangladesh.
- 1 Seven members: India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand
- 2 Founded in 1997; Secretariat in Dhaka, Bangladesh
- 3 Bridges South Asia and Southeast Asia around the Bay of Bengal
- 4 BIMSTEC Charter adopted at the 5th Summit (2022) in Colombo
- 5 6th Summit held in Bangkok on April 4, 2025
- 6 Adopted Bangkok Vision 2030 for a resilient, connected region
The 6th BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok in April 2025 endorsed the first strategic roadmap toward Bangkok Vision 2030 and passed the chairmanship from Thailand to Bangladesh.
