Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC)
What is BIMSTEC?
BIMSTEC is a regional organisation comprising
seven member states (India, Nepal and Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Thailand) lying in the littoral and adjacent areas of the Bay of Bengal.
Background 1. A new sub-regional grouping was formed on 6 June 1997 in Bangkok under the name BIST-EC (Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, and Thailand Economic Cooperation). Following the inclusion of Myanmar on 22 December 1997, the Group was renamed ‘BIMST-EC’ (Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand Economic Cooperation).
2. In February 2004, Nepal and Bhutan became full members.
3. On 31 July 2004, in the first Summit the grouping was renamed as BIMSTEC or the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation.
Details About the Organisation
1. It is a seven member Organisation.
2. BIMSTEC has five of SAARC members in it, plus Myanmar and Thailand.
3. The BIMSTEC connects three important sub-regions of
I. India, Nepal and Bhutan in the Himalayan sub-region
II. Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in the Bay of Bengal sub-region
III. Myanmar and Thailand in the Mekong sub-region.
4. BIMSTEC is the only forum that brings together India’s strategic peripheries (South, East and North) under one single grouping.
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