Overview

• India hosted the 2nd BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) Foreign Ministers’ Retreat in New Delhi earlier this month. The focus was on providing an informal platform to discuss cooperation and accelerate action in security, connectivity, trade, and investment within the Bay of Bengal. This retreat was in preparation for the sixth summit meeting scheduled for September, where BIMSTEC leaders will meet in person for the first-time post-pandemic. An expected outcome is the signing of the BIMSTEC Agreement on Maritime Transport Cooperation to improve regional connectivity.

Strengthening Regional Ties

• BIMSTEC is a regional organization with five South Asian and two Southeast Asian countries, cooperating across seven sectors. It enables New Delhi to engage multilaterally with countries in the Bay of Bengal region, crucial for India''s economic development, security, and foreign policy. Strengthening ties with eastern neighbours is vital for India, especially in light of China''s growing presence in the region. Improved relations with Bangladesh and Myanmar provide access to the sea for India''s landlocked north-eastern region, while stronger ties with Myanmar and Thailand enhance India’s presence in the Indo-Pacific. Thailand''s role as a bridge between BIMSTEC and ASEAN was emphasized during the retreat.

Retreat Structure and Discussions

The retreat was divided into two parts:

1. Assessment of Regional Cooperation:

• Participants assessed the current state of regional cooperation within BIMSTEC, based on a presentation by India on the implementation of key outcomes from the 1st Retreat.
• Ideas included establishing Centres of Excellence in agriculture, disaster management, and maritime transport.
• India announced support for cancer research and e-visas for patients from BIMSTEC states, while Sri Lanka proposed including kidney disease.
• Discussions also covered the need for private sector involvement in trade, promoting young entrepreneurs, and addressing connectivity, cybersecurity, and trafficking of narcotics and arms.

2. Expectations for the Upcoming Summit:

• Each country shared its expectations for the forthcoming summit.
• Sri Lanka highlighted mapping mineral resources and creating opportunities for vertical integration within specific sectors.
• Bangladesh emphasized cooperation in the Blue Economy and suggested a fishing ban during the breeding season.
• Bhutan called for collaboration in tourism and cultural exchanges.
• Nepal advocated for a regional approach to leverage synergies and transform BIMSTEC into a results-oriented forum.
• Thailand stressed the need for cooperation in non-traditional security domains, while Myanmar added combating online scams to the agenda.

Bilateral Engagements

The retreat also had bilateral merits for India. Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar met his counterparts on the side-lines:

• With Myanmar, he discussed concerns over the flow of displaced persons, narcotics, and arms across the border, and urged the return of unlawfully detained Indians.
• With Bangladesh, discussions included ensuring the smooth supply of daily essentials and sending a technical team for the Teesta project.

At the retreat''s conclusion, the Foreign Ministers called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This year marks a decade of India’s Act East and Neighbourhood First policies, with BIMSTEC as a key manifestation of New Delhi’s efforts to foster collaborative growth for regional well-being.

Future Prospects

• The retreat demonstrated the member states'' intent to push forward with a bold vision for the region. The outcomes and proposals from this retreat will be presented to the heads of state at the September summit, reflecting a renewed commitment to regional cooperation and growth.