– Members: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal (South Asia), Myanmar, and Thailand (Southeast Asia).
– Economic Stats: Population of 1.67 billion across member countries; total GDP of $2.88 trillion; intra-group trade grew from $5 billion in 2000 to $60 billion in 2023.
The BIMSTEC Summit underlines India’s focus on strengthening regional cooperation within the Bay of Bengal region amid geopolitical challenges from China’s expanding maritime influence. With SAARC largely inactive due to Pakistan’s role in obstructing progress, BIMSTEC offers India an option platform that fosters collaboration with both South Asian and Southeast Asian nations.
India’s active participation demonstrates its commitment to creating deeper economic ties while seeking stability within this critical Indo-Pacific subregion. Furthermore, as nations like Sri Lanka reassess their dependencies on Chinese loans and Bangladesh grapples with political dynamics influenced by Beijing, india may find greater opportunities through BIMSTEC partnerships to promote balanced growth and regional connectivity.
Read More: Click here