Context
Recently, the security chiefs of BIMSTEC member countries reaffirmed their commitment to combating terrorism and endorsed common principles for maritime law enforcement.
About BIMSTEC
- The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is a regional organisation that connects South Asia and Southeast Asia through cooperation among countries around the Bay of Bengal.
- It was established on 6th June 1997 through the Bangkok Declaration.
- Members: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand, comprising five South Asian and two Southeast Asian countries.
- The organisation evolved from BIST-EC in 1997 to BIMST-EC in 1998 with the inclusion of Myanmar, and was renamed BIMSTEC in 2004 after Nepal and Bhutan joined.
- It promotes regional integration by strengthening cooperation in trade, connectivity, technology, security, and sustainable development.
- Its institutional framework comprises Summits (held biennially), Ministerial Meetings (held annually), and Senior Officials’ Meetings (held twice a year).
- BIMSTEC has identified 14 priority sectors, with each member country leading a specific sector. India leads Transport and Communication, Tourism, Environment and Disaster Management, and Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime.
- The BIMSTEC Secretariat is located in Dhaka, Bangladesh
