BIMSTEC gets a makeover as SAARC fails to show promise

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 30

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday called upon members of BIMSTEC to transform the Bay of Bengal into a bridge of connectivity, prosperity, and security even as its virtual summit hosted by Sri Lanka took some vital decisions to infuse dynamism in its activity.

Addressing only the fifth summit of this 25-year-old grouping, PM Modi said the developments in Europe in the last few weeks have raised a question mark over the stability of international order and in this context; it has become important to accelerate regional cooperation under the BIMTSEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) umbrella.

“Today is the time to make the Bay of Bengal, a bridge of connectivity, prosperity and security,” he said while announcing a $ 1 million grant to augment the BIMSTEC secretariat’s operational budget.

On the security side, PM Modi said the summit builds on the fourth summit in Kathmandu which had resolved to strengthen the regional legal framework against terrorism and trans-national crime. “During today’s summit, a mutual legal assistance treaty on criminal matters is also being signed between us. We should also move quickly to other similar instruments, so that there can be better coordination between our legal systems,” he proposed.

The Summit’s main outcome was the adoption and signing of the BIMSTEC Charter, which formalises the grouping into an “organisation made up of member states that are littoral to, and dependent upon, the Bay of Bengal”.

“Now we should focus our attention on how to make this architecture stronger,” suggested the PM while agreeing with the Secretary General’s suggestion that an Eminent Persons Group be formed to prepare a vision document.

India and some other countries, frustrated by the obstacles in SAARC’s efforts to promote regional cooperation, have been working to make BIMSTEC the premier vehicle in this regard.

The Summit also saw adoption of the ‘Master Plan for Transport Connectivity’ which lays out a guidance framework for connectivity related activities in the region in the future. Three agreements were inked on its sidelines. These are BIMSTEC Convention on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters, BIMSTEC MoU in Diplomatic Training and MoU on a BIMSTEC Technology Transfer Facility.

India also announced $ 3 million to restart the BIMSTEC Centre for Weather and Climate, an important organisation for cooperation in disaster management.

Separately, senior MEA official Rudrendra Tandon said the adoption of the charter has given the BIMSTEC an “international personality’’ which reflected the grouping’s evolution. BIMSTEC cooperation activities will take place in seven pillars with each member country leading one pillar. India will lead the security pillar of the BIMSTEC, he said.

Besides India, the BIMSTEC comprises Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Nepal and Bhutan.

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