6th BIMSTEC Summit

April 8, 2025

Current Context: At the 6th BIMSTEC Summit held in Bangkok, Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled a 21-point action plan to strengthen regional cooperation. The initiative aligns with India’s Neighbourhood First and Act East policies.

About

Business Cooperation:
- BIMSTEC Chamber of Commerce to be established
Annual Business Summit for dialogue between governments and businesses
- Study on local currency trade to reduce dependence on the US dollar
Digital and IT Initiatives:
- Pilot study on Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI)
- Linking India’s UPI with BIMSTEC payment systems
Disaster Management:
- BIMSTEC Disaster Management Centre to be set up in India
- 4th joint exercise of disaster authorities to be held in India in 2025
Security and Space:
- First BIMSTEC Home Ministers’ meet in India
- Focus on cybercrime, terrorism, trafficking
- Nano-satellite training and ground station infrastructure
Capacity Building:
- BODHI initiative: 300 youths to be trained annually in India
- Scholarships at Forest Research Institute and Nalanda University
- Centres of Excellence in traditional medicine and agriculture
Energy and Youth Engagement:
- BIMSTEC Energy Centre operational in Bengaluru
- Faster electric grid connectivity
- Athletics Meet (2024) and BIMSTEC Games (2027) to be hosted in India
Cultural and Maritime Cooperation:
- Traditional Music Festival in India
- Sustainable Maritime Transport Centre to be established in India