BIMSTEC Needs To Reinvent Itself

About BIMSTEC

• Established through Bangkok Declaration of 1997, by India, Thailand, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Myanmar, Nepal and Bhutan joined afterwards.
• Slow progress during its first 20 years, only three summits held.
• Unfolding rejuvenation: Back to focus since 2016 after India started to treat it as a more practical instrument for regional cooperation over SAARC.
  • Outreach Summit with BRICS leaders in 2016.
  • The fourth leaders’ summit: Held in Kathmandu in 2018 devised an ambitious plan for institutional reform and renewal that would encompass economic and security cooperation.

Recent development in BIMSTEC: 17th Meeting of the foreign ministers of BIMSTEC met on April 1 2021.

• Endorsed rationalisation of sectors and sub-sectors of activity: With each member-state serving as a lead for assigned areas of special interest.
• Support for Master Plan for Transport Connectivity: to be adopted in next summit.
• Preparations completed for signing 3 agreements: Relating to mutual legal assistance in criminal matters, cooperation between diplomatic academies, and establishment of a technology transfer facility in Colombo.

Challenges faced by BIMSTEC:

• Lack of progress on the trade and economic dossier: A study by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry suggested that BIMSTEC urgently needed a comprehensive Free Trade Agreement to be a real game-changer.
  • This is due to lacking the effort to enthuse and engage vibrant business communities of these countries and expand their dialogue, interactions and transactions.
• ‘Over-securitisation’ of BIMSTEC: Achievements in Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief and security, including counterterrorism, cybersecurity, and coastal security cooperation etc., overshadowing other areas of engagement.
• Spillover of bilateral setbacks: For e.g. Impact of the trajectory of India-Nepal, India-Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh-Myanmar ties in recent years.
• Uncertainties over SAARC: Both Nepal and Sri Lanka want SAARC to be revived, even as they work in BIMSTEC with diluted zeal.
• China’s decisive intrusion in South-Southeast Asian space: Perspective that BIMSTEC would make progress if China is accepted as its principal interlocutor and partner.
• New set of challenges from a military coup in Myanmar: Brutal crackdown of protesters and continuation of popular resistance resulting in a protracted impasse.