The sixth summit of the heads of state and government of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) was held on April 4, 2025, in Bangkok, Thailand. The summit brought together the leaders of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand at a time marked by an increasingly complex and uncertain global political and economic landscape. The summit was convened under the theme ‘Prosperous, Resilient and Open BIMSTEC’ and provided a renewed impetus to the regional organisation to realise the shared vision of a prosperous, resilient, and open Bay of Bengal region. The summit was preceded by the 25th BIMSTEC Senior Officials’ Meeting on April 02, 2025, and the 20th BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting on April 3, 2025, reflecting the structured and consultative nature of BIMSTEC’s decision-making process.
The summit was attended by Professor Muhammad Yunus, Chief Adviser of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh; Dasho Tshering Tobgay, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Bhutan; Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of the Republic of India; Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, Chairman of the State Administration Council and Prime Minister of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar; K.P. Sharma Oli, Prime Minister of Nepal; Dr Harini Amarasuriya, Prime Minister of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka; and Ms Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand.
As the highest policymaking body of BIMSTEC, the summit plays a pivotal role in setting the organisation’s strategic direction and priorities. This summit reaffirmed the critical role of BIMSTEC in forging regional cooperation to enable member states to address shared security and sustainable development challenges, while also strengthening the institutional foundations of the organisation.
Background and Context of BIMSTEC Cooperation
BIMSTEC was established through the Bangkok Declaration of 1997 with the objective of promoting multi-sectoral technical and economic cooperation among countries of the Bay of Bengal region. Over the past 28 years, BIMSTEC has emerged as a vital bridge between South Asia and Southeast Asia, leveraging geographical contiguity, plentiful natural and human resources, historical linkages, and rich cultural heritage to advance regional cooperation in agreed priority areas. The coming into force of the BIMSTEC Charter, on May 20, 2024, marked a significant milestone in institutionalising the organisation and strengthening its legal and procedural framework.
Some Highlights of the Summit Declaration
A major outcome of the summit was the adoption of the Declaration of the Sixth BIMSTEC Summit, which reflected the vision of the leaders and their decisions and directives for future cooperation. The declaration articulated a comprehensive commitment to building a prosperous, resilient, and open BIMSTEC through mutual collaboration, understanding, and solidarity in the shared interest of member states.
Another landmark outcome was the adoption of the BIMSTEC Bangkok Vision 2030, the first-ever vision document of it. The vision provides a comprehensive and practical roadmap for future cooperation among member states. It sets out three key goals: building a prosperous BIMSTEC by accelerating regional growth opportunities, creating a resilient BIMSTEC by embracing people-to-people connectivity, and exploring new opportunities.
The summit further witnessed the signing of the Agreement on Maritime Transport Cooperation, a significant step towards strengthening regional partnerships to enhance maritime connectivity, enabling more trade and travel among member states. In addition, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between BIMSTEC and the Indian Ocean Rim Association was signed, institutionalising future partnership in areas of shared interest. Another MOU between BIMSTEC and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) formalised cooperation in areas of shared priorities, particularly in addressing transnational crimes.
The adoption of the Rules of Procedure for BIMSTEC Mechanisms marked an important institutional reform. Together with the BIMSTEC Charter, the Rules of Procedure lay a strong foundation for the institutional framework of regional cooperation, ensuring greater efficiency and consistency in the functioning of its mechanisms. The summit further adopted the Report of the Eminent Persons Group on the Future Direction of BIMSTEC, which contains recommendations to reform and revitalise the organisation, and tasked the secretary general to monitor and report progress on their implementation.
BIMSTEC Bangkok Vision 2030
The Bangkok Vision 2030 outlines a shared aspiration to build a prosperous BIMSTEC where poverty is substantially reduced and considerable progress towards sustainable development and viable growth is achieved. The vision emphasises strengthening regional supply chains for steady post-pandemic economic recovery through enhanced transport and energy connectivity, including promotion of port and maritime connectivity, land connectivity, and implementation of the BIMSTEC Master Plan for Transport Connectivity. It also focuses on promoting trade, investment, trade facilitation, competitiveness of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and inclusive and sustainable development, along with expediting the implementation of the BIMSTEC Poverty Plan of Action.
In pursuing a resilient BIMSTEC, the vision prioritises promoting health security, enhancing cooperation on disaster relief, recovery and reconstruction, increasing maritime cooperation for free and safe navigation and promoting environmental protection and climate change adaptation and mitigation measures. The vision further seeks to foster an open BIMSTEC by promoting sustainable tourism, people-centred development and enhanced collaboration among youth, innovators, researchers, academia, and professionals.
Sectoral Cooperation and Institutional Strengthening
This summit welcomed the inclusion of blue economy, mountain economy, and poverty alleviation under the purview of reconstituted sectors and sub-sectors of cooperation. Leaders reiterated their commitment to concluding the BIMSTEC Free Trade Area Agreement and underscored the need to accelerate trade facilitation measures, including finalisation of agreements on trade facilitation and cooperation in customs matters. The summit encouraged exploration of digital cross-border payment systems and trade settlements with local currencies, and reaffirmed the importance of closing digital divides and advancing equitable governance of data and emerging technologies.
The leaders stressed the implementation of the Plan of Action on Strengthening BIMSTEC Agricultural Cooperation and recognised the importance of enhanced cooperation in fisheries and livestock, sustainable use of resources, and the application of science and technology, such as precision farming. Connectivity was reaffirmed as one of the most vital sectors of cooperation, with emphasis on timely implementation of the BIMSTEC Master Plan for Transport Connectivity and progress on the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway.
In the area of resilience, the summit called for deepening environment and climate change cooperation, strengthening regional security cooperation, establishing the BIMSTEC health ministers’ meeting mechanism and improving preparedness and coordination for responding to natural disasters.
India at the Sixth BIMSTEC Summit 2025
India participated at the highest level in this summit, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi attending the meeting in Bangkok. He offered condolences on the loss of lives in the devastating earthquake in Myanmar and Thailand and emphasised BIMSTEC as a vital bridge between South Asia and Southeast Asia. He underlined that BIMSTEC had become an impactful platform for regional cooperation, coordination and progress, and called for further strengthening the agenda and capacity of the organisation.
India announced several initiatives towards institution and capacity building in BIMSTEC, including setting up BIMSTEC Centres of Excellence in India on disaster management, sustainable maritime transport, traditional medicine, and research and training in agriculture. A new programme for skilling the youth, BIMSTECH for Organised Development of Human Resource Infrastructure, was announced to provide training and scholarships to professionals, students, researchers, and diplomats. India also offered a pilot study to assess regional needs in digital public infrastructure, a capacity-building programme for cancer care, the establishment of a BIMSTEC Chamber of Commerce, and the organisation of a BIMSTEC Business Summit every year in India.
The summit welcomed the establishment of the BIMSTEC Centre for Weather and Climate in Noida (Uttar Pradesh) and the launching of the BIMSTEC Energy Centre in Bengaluru (Karnataka), along with initiatives to establish BIMSTEC Centres of Excellence in disaster management, agriculture, maritime transport, tropical medicine, and public audit.
Emphasising people-to-people connectivity, India announced initiatives such as hosting a BIMSTEC Athletics Meet, the first BIMSTEC Games in 2027, a BIMSTEC Traditional Music Festival, a Young Leaders’ Summit, a Hackathon, and a Young Professional Visitors programme. Additionally, India highlighted the importance of physical connectivity alongside digital and energy connectivity and supported enhanced efforts for electricity grid interconnection following the operationalisation of the BIMSTEC Energy Centre.
Way forward
The summit focused on fostering collaboration among member states to address shared security and developmental challenges. The leaders reiterated their firm commitment to the purposes and principles of BIMSTEC as contained in its Charter and emphasised the need to revitalise it as an effective vehicle to fulfil the developmental aspirations of the people of the Bay of Bengal region. The leaders underlined the necessity of making it more resilient against existing and future crises, including climate change, financial crises, pandemics and natural disasters and stressed the importance of developing mechanisms for coordinated regional response.
The summit also marked a significant milestone in the evolution of BIMSTEC as a regional organisation. With the adoption of the BIMSTEC Bangkok Vision 2030, key institutional reforms, sectoral initiatives and strengthened partnerships, the summit laid a strong foundation for advancing peace, prosperity, and resilience in the Bay of Bengal region.
At the conclusion of the summit, Bangladesh assumed the Chairship of BIMSTEC, reaffirming its commitments to working collaboratively with other member states to take BIMSTEC cooperation forward. With institutional reforms already underway, BIMSTEC is poised to evolve into a vibrant and dynamic regional organisation, advancing the shared aspirations of its member states and their peoples.
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