BIMSTEC Bangkok Vision 2030 and India’s Role
Why in the news
The sixth BIMSTEC summit, hosted by Thailand, approved the Bangkok Vision 2030 for the Bay of Bengal grouping, 28 years after its founding.
Key facts
- Goal: turn the group into a PRO bloc (Prosperous, Resilient, Open) by 2030, in line with UN SDGs and Thailand’s Bio-Circular-Green model.
- India proposed BIMSTEC Centres of Excellence covering agri-research, traditional medicine, maritime transport and disaster management.
- India launched the Bodhi Programme for skilling, proposed a digital public infrastructure pilot and a BIMSTEC Chamber of Commerce.
- These back the Act East policy and counter China’s sway.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Summits | Six held |
| Secretariat | Dhaka, 2014, under-resourced |
| Charter | 2022 |
| Free trade agreement | Proposed 2004, stalled |
Concerns
- Cooler India-Bangladesh ties; Bangladesh-Myanmar friction over Rohingya; Myanmar’s civil conflict.
- A 14-sector agenda spreads focus thin; coastal shipping, road and energy grid projects await legal frameworks.
Exam angle
- Vision: Bangkok Vision 2030 (PRO).
- Secretariat: Dhaka.
- India’s skilling initiative: Bodhi Programme.