What to expect from the 6th BIMSTEC Summit?

 Keywords: BIMSTEC, Bangkok Summit, India, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh

Date: 24th March, 2025

The upcoming 6th BIMSTEC Summit, scheduled for April 4, 2025, in Bangkok, presents an opportunity for member-nations to address pressing regional challenges and enhance cooperation. By analyzing recent BIMSTEC developments and meetings, we can discern significant themes and outcomes likely to shape the discussions and decisions at the Summit.

Preceding the Summit, a Ministerial Meeting on April 3 and a Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) on April 2 will set the stage for substantive discussions, notably with Prime Minister Narendra Modi expected to engage bilaterally with Bangladesh’s interim leader, Muhammad Yunus, during the event. It’s also likely that Prime Minister Modi will extend his diplomatic outreach to Sri Lanka, another key BIMSTEC member, highlighting the interconnectedness of regional priorities.

The 2^nd BIMSTEC Foreign Ministers’ Retreat, which took place in New Delhi on July 11–12, 2024, has been instrumental in laying the groundwork for the Summit. This Retreat focused on broadening BIMSTEC's scope beyond mere economic collaboration, emphasizing the importance of regional ownership in addressing contemporary geopolitical and economic challenges.

India’s External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, led the discussions, which included Foreign Ministers from Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Thailand, as well as representatives from Sri Lanka and Nepal. The Retreat was thoughtfully divided into two segments. The first revisited the outcomes of the inaugural Retreat held in Bangkok and solicited fresh initiatives to deepen cooperation.

The second segment strategically aligned discussions with the priority areas for the upcoming Summit. This proactive approach ensures that the outcomes reflect a consensus on regional issues, particularly the ongoing Myanmar crisis, which has ramifications for transnational crime and human trafficking.

Moreover, the 24th BIMSTEC Senior Officials Meeting (SOM), convened virtually by Thailand on December 20, 2024, added another layer of momentum in finalizing key initiatives aimed at strengthening regional cooperation. The SOM’s discussions encompassed critical areas of focus such as the establishment of BIMSTEC Centres of Excellence, echoing a strong commitment to fostering innovation and sustainable development.

Furthermore, the discussion on the BIMSTEC Secretariat’s budget for 2025 demonstrates a collective dedication to regional advancement, ensuring that member-states can effectively lead various sectors within the BIMSTEC framework.

In addition to these key meetings, numerous initiatives, including the outcomes from the 2nd Meeting of the BIMSTEC Cultural Industries Commission and the Special Meeting of the BIMSTEC Permanent Working Committee, have paved the way for multifaceted discussions during the Summit.

The emphasis on cultural cooperation, institutional reforms, and connectivity underscores BIMSTEC’s holistic approach to regional integration. Some of the important BIMSTEC meetings and events that took place recently can be seen in Table I.

The 6th BIMSTEC Summit is expected to focus on key areas that are crucial for regional cooperation and integration. Institutional strengthening will be a major priority, with efforts to establish structured frameworks for cultural collaboration, such as the BIMSTEC Cultural Industries Observatory (BCIO), to promote heritage-based economic development.

Additionally, the Summit is likely to deliberate on the long-term governance structure of BIMSTEC, guided by the recommendations of the Eminent Persons Group (EPG) report, which aims to enhance the organization’s efficiency and strategic direction.

Connectivity and trade will also feature prominently, particularly through the review of ongoing transport infrastructure projects under the BIMSTEC Master Plan for Transport Connectivity. Identifying challenges and expediting project implementation will be crucial to ensuring seamless regional trade, economic integration, and enhanced mobility.

In the area of security and crime prevention, BIMSTEC is expected to intensify efforts to combat illicit financial flows, strengthen anti-money laundering measures, and finalize an action plan along with a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on capacity building among member states.

Discussions may also focus on BIMSTEC’s potential role in enhancing regional security cooperation, particularly through collaboration with organizations like the Asia Pacific Group on Money Laundering (APG).

Furthermore, the Summit may emphasize digital public infrastructure, recognizing its role in fostering financial inclusion, cross-border digital services, and regional economic transformation. Key focus areas will include digital identity, secure payment systems, SME digitalization, e-health services, logistics, and governance.

Lastly, tourism and people-to-people ties should be a significant agenda item, with discussions centered on facilitating regional tourism through initiatives such as the BIMSTEC Buddhist Circuits and Cruise Circuits. Proposals for visa facilitation measures, an annual BIMSTEC Travel & Tourism Mart, and enhanced cross-border mobility may be considered to promote economic benefits through cultural heritage tourism.

Collectively, these priorities aim to reinforce BIMSTEC’s role as a dynamic regional organization fostering economic cooperation, connectivity, security, and cultural exchanges among its member-states.

These issues should be prioritized in the BIMSTEC vision document or the Summit Declaration, reinforcing a collective commitment to regional progress. Furthermore, the potential signing of an agreement on maritime transport cooperation during the Summit would signify a substantial step forward in regional collaboration.

Finally, it’s crucial that the Summit takes into account the recommendations for establishing a regional startup network and a “Youth Bridge” initiative, as articulated by Mansukh Mandaviya at the first BIMSTEC Youth Summit held in February 2025. Addressing cultural diversity and advancing digital infrastructure will be imperative in fostering a sustainable future for all member-states, ensuring that BIMSTEC is not only a platform for dialogue but a catalyst for transformative regional action.

With the groundwork laid by recent meetings and proactive engagement among member states, the 6th BIMSTEC Summit is poised to be a landmark event that could redefine the trajectory of regional cooperation in South Asia and Southeast Asia.

Table 1: Crucial BIMSTEC Meetings and Events Held between

January-March 2025 

Sampa Kundu is a Consultant, ASEAN-India Centre at RIS, New Delhi and a Visiting Fellow, Asian Confluence.'

 Disclaimer: The views expressed above and the information available are those of the author/s and can therefore in no way be taken to reflect the position of Asian Confluence

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