PM Modi attends 6th BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok: All you need to know

From bilateral talks to multilateral agreements to Bangkok Vision 2030, the 6th Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Summit, that brings together southeast Asian nations together, concluded on Friday, April 4 in Bangkok, Thailand.

 

The BIMSTEC which is also sometimes seen as a potential bridge between the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), brings India, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Nepal, and Sri Lanka on table to discuss various measures for improved economic integration, connectivity and disaster management in the region. The theme of this year’s summit was, “BIMSTEC: Prosperous, Resilient and Open”.

 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who took part in the summit on Friday, announced several India-led initiatives focusing on enhancement of cooperation and coordination in the region. Here’s a brief look at what went down at the summit.

 

 

• Economic Integration & Connectivity: PM Modi emphasised reducing trade barriers, boosting digital trade and e-commerce, and pushed for a BIMSTEC Digital Trade Platform to streamline cross-border transactions. In view of the same, he also proposed linking India's UPI with the payment systems of the member nations, a move that could boost trade, business and tourism within the region. Meanwhile, amid growing trade tension across the world, he also proposed a study on the feasibility of the possibilities of trade in local currency in the BIMSTEC region. 
• Disaster Resilience: He committed India’s resources to establish a BIMSTEC Centre for Disaster Management, aiming to strengthen regional disaster response frameworks. This becomes even more significant as the summit falls around the time when Myanmar witnessed a massive earthquake killing over 3,000 people.   
• Geopolitical Leadership: Positioning India as a key security partner, PM advocated for regional security cooperation, including counter-terrorism and maritime security. 
• Education and Training: He also announced BIMSTEC for Organised Development of Human resource Infrastructure (BODHI) initiative which aims to train 300 youth from BIMSTEC countries every year in India. 
• Promoting India’s Leadership: Modi’s participation underscored India’s role as a leader in BIMSTEC, with a focus on economic growth, stability, and security within the Bay of Bengal region.

 

Amid tensions, a meeting with Bangladesh’s Yunus

On the sidelines of the summit, PM Mod and Chief Adviser to the interim government of Bangladesh Muhammad Yunus held a meeting discussing key bilateral issues, including the security of minorities in Bangladesh and the potential extradition of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

 

The meeting is significant because it is the first since the removal of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from office on August 5 last year.

 

 

PM Modi extends support to Myanmar

The PM also sat down with Myanmar’s military chief, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, and assured him of India’s full and continued support as the country struggles to recover from a deadly earthquake.

 

This was the first direct interaction between the Indian Prime Minister and the leader of Myanmar’s military government, which came to power after a coup in February 2021. “We also discussed bilateral relations between India and Myanmar, particularly in sectors like connectivity, capacity building, infrastructure development and more,” PM Modi said.