India’s participated in 6th BIMSTEC Summit, held in Bangkok, Thailand It reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening regional cooperation in Bay of Bengal region with major indian initiatives. The Summit was themed “BIMSTEC: Prosperous, Resilient, and Open.”
Key Indian Initiatives at BIMSTEC 2025
21-Point Action Plan by India:
India unveiled a 21-point comprehensive Action Plan to enhance cooperation in areas such as connectivity, trade, disaster management, technology, and youth engagement. Key highlights include:
Disaster Management:
- Setting up BIMSTEC Centre of Excellence for Disaster Management in India.
- Hosting the 4th BIMSTEC Disaster Management joint exercise in India in 2025.
Skill Development- BODHI Program:
- BIMSTEC for Organized Development of Human Resource Infrastructure (BODHI) aims to offer scholarships and training to students, researchers, diplomats.
- Hosting 300 youth annually from BIMSTEC countries.
Youth Engagement & Cultural Exchange:
- BIMSTEC Athletics Meet (2025) and First BIMSTEC Games (2027) to mark BIMSTEC’s 30th anniversary.
- BIMSTEC Traditional Music Festival, Young Leaders’ Summit, Hackathon, and Young Professional Visitors Program.
Digital & Financial Connectivity:
- Proposal to link India’s UPI system with payment platforms of BIMSTEC countries to boost trade, tourism, and economic activity.
Science & Tech Initiatives:
- Joint nano-satellite development, building ground stations, promoting remote sensing data sharing.
- Pilot study on Digital Public Infrastructure and cancer care capacity building.
Trade & Commerce:
- Proposal to launch BIMSTEC Chamber of Commerce and host Business Summit for deeper economic integration.
Maritime Cooperation:
- Proposal for a Sustainable Maritime Transport Centre in India for coordinated policy, research, and innovation support.
India–Thailand Strategic Partnership (Announced on Sidelines)
India and Thailand agreed to elevate bilateral relations to a Strategic Partnership, focusing on six core areas:
Maritime Cooperation:
- Support for ASEAN Outlook on Indo-Pacific (AOIP) and India’s IPOI.
- Emphasis on Indo-Pacific maritime security and India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway.
Defence & Security:
- Expand defence dialogues and Exercise Maitree.
- Cooperation in counter-terrorism, cybersecurity, and intelligence sharing.
Trade & Economic Engagement:
- Boost bilateral trade, supply chain resilience, and private investment.
- Explore FTA upgrade and cooperation in digital economy.
People-to-People Ties:
- Promote Buddhist cultural linkages, education, tourism, and engage with the Indian diaspora in Thailand.
Science, Technology & Innovation:
- Collaborate on renewable energy, space tech, health, biotech, and digital infrastructure.
Regional & Multilateral Cooperation:
- Stronger coordination in BIMSTEC, ASEAN, IORA, and UN forums to uphold a rules-based international order.
Key Summit Outcomes :
BIMSTEC Bangkok Vision 2030:
- First long-term roadmap to build a Prosperous, Resilient and Open (PRO) BIMSTEC by 2030.
- Focus areas: economic integration, connectivity, and human security.
Maritime Transport Cooperation Agreement:
- Enhance maritime connectivity between South & Southeast Asia.
- Reduce logistics costs, improve regional trade and supply chain efficiency.
About BIMSTEC:
| Feature | Details |
| Founded | 1997 (via Bangkok Declaration) |
| Members | 7: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand |
| Population | 1.7 billion (22% of world population) |
| Combined GDP (2023) | USD 5.2 trillion |
| Headquarters | Dhaka, Bangladesh |