Bloc development: Bimstec needs faster progress; India's role is key

This sixth summit, hosted by Thailand under its chairmanship, saw some energetic interventions by India as part of the "PRO" agenda

Twenty-eight years after its inception, member-countries of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation, or Bimstec, appear to have attempted to instil a greater sense of purpose by adopting a Bangkok Vision 2030, outlining a road map for regional prosperity. The aim is to build a “prosperous, resilient and open” or “PRO” Bimstec by 2030 and create a zone of peace, stability, and economic sustainability in line with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and Thailand’s bio-circular-green economic model, which focuses on creating a low-carbon eco-system.  This sixth summit, hosted by Thailand under its chairmanship,