As of April 4, 2025, the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) stands at a pivotal juncture. The recently concluded 6th BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok, Thailand, held on April 3-4, 2025, has thrust this regional organization into the spotlight, with ambitious promises and high stakes. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 21-point action plan, unveiled during the summit, aims to turbocharge trade, information technology, security, and youth engagement across its seven member states—Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. Yet, as leaders return home, one question lingers: can BIMSTEC deliver on its potential, or will it fade into obscurity, overshadowed by global giants like ASEAN and the EU? The answer lies in execution.
A Region of Promise
BIMSTEC, founded in 1997, unites 1.73 billion people—22% of the world’s population—and a combined GDP of $5.2 trillion (2023 estimate). Straddling the Bay of Bengal, a historic maritime crossroads, its members are strategically positioned to link South Asia and Southeast Asia. The Bay itself is an economic artery, handling 25% of global traded goods annually, while its coastal and hinterland nations grapple with shared challenges: poverty, climate change, and security threats. BIMSTEC’s mission is to harness this potential through focused cooperation in seven sectors, from trade (led by Bangladesh) to connectivity (Thailand) and security (India).
The Bangkok Summit marked a turning point. Modi’s action plan builds on the Bangkok Vision 2030, adopted this year, which envisions an integrated, prosperous region by decade’s end. Key proposals include a BIMSTEC Free Trade Agreement (FTA)—stalled since 2004—digital payment systems, joint cybersecurity frameworks, and youth exchange programs. India pledged $1 million in grants for capacity building, signaling commitment to a bloc it sees as central to its “Neighbourhood First” and “Act East” policies.
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The Strategic Stakes
BIMSTEC’s timing couldn’t be more critical. With SAARC paralyzed since 2014 due to India-Pakistan tensions, New Delhi views BIMSTEC as a viable alternative to engage its neighbors. The Bay of Bengal is also a geopolitical chessboard: China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has deepened its footprint in Myanmar and Sri Lanka, while India pushes its Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR) vision. BIMSTEC offers a counterweight—a regional framework free of superpower rivalry—yet its members must navigate this tension carefully.
Economically, the rewards are tantalizing. The Trilateral Highway connecting India, Myanmar, and Thailand nears completion, promising faster trade routes. Coastal shipping agreements could cut logistics costs by 20%, per a 2024 Asian Development Bank study. A functional FTA could boost intra-regional trade, currently a meager 7% of members’ total trade, compared to ASEAN’s 25%. For landlocked Nepal and Bhutan, BIMSTEC is a lifeline to ports; for Thailand, it’s a gateway to India’s 1.4 billion consumers.
Execution: The Make-or-Break Factor
Success, however, hinges on execution—a BIMSTEC Achilles’ heel. In 28 years, it has held just six summits, with the FTA languishing in drafts and connectivity projects crawling along. The Bangkok Summit’s 21-point plan is bold but not new—similar promises have faltered before. Take the Kaladan Multimodal Project, linking India to Myanmar’s Sittwe port: launched in 2008, it’s still incomplete due to funding woes and Myanmar’s instability. The secretariat in Dhaka, staffed with just seven directors, lacks the muscle to coordinate seven nations with divergent priorities.
Political will is another hurdle. Myanmar’s civil war and Bangladesh’s post-Sheikh Hasina transition strain bilateral ties—Rohingya refugee tensions simmer beneath the surface. Smaller states like Nepal and Bhutan chafe at India’s outsize influence (32% budget share), while Thailand and Myanmar prioritize ASEAN. Funding remains a bottleneck: India’s $1 million pledge pales against China’s billion-dollar BRI loans.
The Path Forward
If BIMSTEC delivers, it could transform the Bay of Bengal into a powerhouse bridging South and Southeast Asia. Imagine seamless highways, thriving ports, and a digital economy uniting 1.73 billion people—25% of global trade could flow more efficiently, lifting millions from poverty. Security cooperation could curb trafficking and piracy, while climate initiatives tackle the Bay’s vulnerability to cyclones (13% of global tropical storms).
Yet failure looms as a real risk. Without concrete timelines, adequate funding, and trust-building, BIMSTEC could join the ranks of well-intentioned but toothless blocs, overshadowed by ASEAN’s $3.6 trillion economy or the EU’s integrated market. China’s shadow grows longer—its investments in Sri Lanka’s Hambantota port and Myanmar’s Kyaukphyu dwarf BIMSTEC’s modest ambitions. A 2024 ORF report warned: “BIMSTEC must act fast or lose relevance.”
A Defining Moment
As of April 4, 2025, BIMSTEC stands at a crossroads. Modi’s 21-point plan has injected momentum, but rhetoric must yield results. The bloc’s leaders—Modi, Thailand’s Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Bangladesh’s Muhammad Yunus—know the stakes. For India, it’s a chance to lead without dominating; for others, a shot at prosperity without entanglement in great-power games. If executed well, BIMSTEC could harness the Bay of Bengal’s economic and strategic might, redefining regional cooperation. If not, it risks fading into obscurity, a footnote in a world of bigger players. The clock is ticking.