Excellency Maris Sangiampongsa, Foreign Minister of Thailand, Distinguished Colleagues, Secretary General of BIMSTEC.
Friends,
Namaskar & Good Morning
2.Let me begin by thanking the Royal Thai Government for hosting the 6th BIMSTEC Summit that starts formally tomorrow. And to the BIMSTEC Secretariat for the preparation. Before we discuss the agenda, I would also like to express our solidarity and support for Myanmar and Thailand in the face of the massive earthquake a few days ago. India is living up to its obligation as a First Responder in this situation.
3.Colleagues, we meet today in the 28th year of the BIMSTEC. And we do so in very uncertain and volatile times, when the global order itself is under visible churn. This should encourage us to approach BIMSTEC from a more ambitious perspective. The new order, whose outlines have only now started to become visible, is intrinsically more regional and agenda-specific. The era when a few powers underwrote the international system is now behind us. What we make of our prospects is very much dependent on ourselves. As developing nations who face a multitude of challenges, that is better done in concert with each other than individually.
4.The nations around and proximate to the Bay of Bengal have both common interests and shared concerns. Some of it emanates from our history, where other priorities overrode the well-being of this region. The results are there for all of us to see even today. Whether it is connectivity, trade, investment or services between the BIMSTEC members, we are performing below our real potential. Now, if we are to change that, both the past and the future are our friends. One are the traditions, habits and an ethos that can be made contemporary now. The other gives us new tools and fresh possibilities, some that can even help leapfrog our capabilities. The task before us is to be realistic about where we stand today, confident about the foundation of our endeavours and optimistic about its coming possibilities.
Colleagues,
5.India is aware of its special responsibility in regard to BIMSTEC. We, after all, have the longest coastline in the Bay of Bengal, of almost 6500km. India shares borders not only with five BIMSTEC members, connects most of them, but also provides much of the interface between the Indian Sub-continent and ASEAN. Our North-Eastern region in particular is emerging as a connectivity hub for the BIMSTEC, with a myriad network of roads, railways, waterways, grids and pipelines. Furthermore, the completion of the Trilateral Highway will connect India’s North East all the way to the Pacific Ocean, a veritable game-changer. We are conscious that our cooperation and facilitation are an essential pre-requisite for the smooth flow of goods, services and people in this larger geography. Keeping this geo-strategic factor in mind, we have devoted increasing energies and attention to the strengthening of BIMSTEC in the last decade. We also believe that cooperation is an integrated outlook, not one subject to cherry picking.
6.Let me briefly expound on the BIMSTEC from India’s perspective. This regional organization represents the trifecta of three of our crucial initiatives: the Act East policy, the Neighbourhood First approach and the MAHA-SAGAR outlook. It is also on the pathway to our Indo-Pacific commitment. In order to promote BIMSTEC, what India is doing is to draw the best from all of them and then synergize that with our collective efforts. That our bilateral relationships with individual BIMSTEC members are also strong and steadily growing is a further source of strength. At the end of the day, what we seek to create is a strong structural framework with a substantial relevance to our people. So, how do we do that?
7.First of all, by having a real commitment towards enhancing the growth of BIMSTEC. By finalizing a BIMSTEC Charter in 2024 and holding four Summits in the last decade, we are sending a strong message to that effect.
8.The second line of approach would be to deepen our collaboration by directing energies towards the most visible convergences. This could be power grid connections, digital infrastructure, business activities, maritime and land transport, blue economy or health, food and energy security. Each one of us has our own experiences, and therefore, best practices to share. The creation of Centres of Excellence is one way of promoting that objective.
9.Colleagues, BIMSTEC is not just a gathering of the lowest common denominator. It is a shared endeavour with an ambitious purpose. We want to not just do what we must, but also do what we can, or even what we aspire to. That is why our activities on culture and arts, on sports, in addressing the hopes of the youth, in exploring the potential of space, or in sharing best practices of diplomacy are important. As we look at the future, technology, start-ups and innovation will play a greater role. There is much we can gain through interaction and sharing. Tourism is another domain of great potential. Indians constitute among the largest number of your tourism arrivals. Creating a conducive environment will certainly help us to develop each one of these facets to the fullest.
10.While recognizing that, there are nevertheless the problems of the real world that we must also address. This requires us to recognize the seriousness of cyber security, counter-terrorism, human trafficking, illegal narcotics trade and other associated activities. We need to create the necessary frameworks to deal with them effectively.
11.We all deal with the daily routine, but no Government can neglect the larger challenges that the world confronts. It could be climate change or pandemics, or natural disasters and financial crises. Or as we have seen, the ripple impacts of conflicts far away. Nor can we disregard the ever-present dangers of extremism, radicalization and terrorism. The reality is that the world is moving to an era of self-help. Every region needs to look out for itself, whether it is in food, fuel and fertilizer supply, vaccines or speedy disaster response. We are seeing that unfold before our very eyes. Times have indeed changed. Shorter supply chains and immediate neighbors have a salience much more than before.
12.The BIMSTEC has its agenda before it. Our job is to prepare for a successful Summit tomorrow where our leaders will reinforce the pillars of cooperation, witness the signing of significant agreements and declare the establishment of Centres of Excellence. I am confident that we will not only accomplish the ground work properly but set the stage for the emergence of the Bay of Bengal as a vibrant and energetic region.
Bangkok
April 03, 2025