Current Affairs 2022: 5th BIMSTEC Summit

The theme of the fifth BIMSTEC Summit 2022 was 'Towards a Resilient Region, Prosperous Economies, Healthy People.

The Fifth BIMSTEC Summit was held in Sri Lanka on March 30, 2022. BIMSTEC has a total of seven member countries. Five countries from South Asia are India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka, while two countries, Thailand and Myanmar are from South East Asia. BIMSTEC came into existence on June 6, 1997, through the Bangkok Declaration with the Secretariat situated in Dhaka. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other officials attended the meeting virtually. The chair of the meeting was Sri Lanka. Though the meeting was held on March 30, 2022, there were some preparatory meetings at the Senior official and Foreign Minister levels in Colombo on March 28 & 29.

The Theme of the Fifth BIMSTEC Summit

The BIMSTEC Summit 2022 was 'Towards a Resilient Region, Prosperous Economies, Healthy People.

Highlights of the Fifth BIMSTEC Summit 

Following are the key highlights of the BIMSTEC summit:

BIMSTEC Charter

The primary outcome of the Summit is the signing of the BIMSTEC Charter. Under the Charter, the member countries need to follow specific norms:

• The member countries belonging to the Charter will have to meet once in two years.
• With the formation of the Charter, BIMSTEC is now an International Organisation. It has its own emblem and a flag.
• All the member countries will have to follow the purposes and principles.
• According to an agreement among the member countries, each country will be responsible for specific tasks. Following are the responsibilities that each of the seven countries needs to follow. 

Country	Assignment and Duties
Bangladesh	Trade, Investment and Development
India	Security, which also includes Counterterrorism, Disaster Management and Energy
Bhutan	Environment and Climate Change
Myanmar	Agriculture and Food Security
Nepal	People to People Contact, which includes Tourism and Culture
Sri Lanka	Science, Technology and Innovation about Health, Technology and Human Resource Development
Thailand	Connectivity among the countries

Transport Connectivity

One of the key highlights of the fifth BIMSTEC Summit 2022 is the declaration of the Master Plan for transport connectivity that will enhance the domestic and regional transport facilities.

Other Agreements

• The member countries signed a treaty on legal assistance for criminal issues.  
• A Memorandum of Association on the formation of the BIMSTEC Technology Transfer facility in Colombo, Sri Lanka
• India will provide the BIMSTEC Secretariat with one million dollars to enhance the operational budget.

Prospects

1. Free Trade Agreement: One of the critical decisions taken by the member countries is free trade. The Bay of Bengal will act as a bridge of connectivity and prosperity among the BIMSTEC-member countries. It is because the majority of the countries are facing health and economic crisis. Therefore, if there is solidarity in cooperation, all the member countries will benefit. There is also a necessity for a coastal shipping ecosystem and electricity grid interconnectivity among the member nations. 

2. Gujral Doctrine: India is one of the superpowers among the seven member countries of the BIMSTEC. Hence, as per the Gujral Doctrine, there are five principles by which India can conduct its foreign relations with its immediate foreign neighbors. Following are the five principles:

• There is a mutual understanding between India and its neighboring countries like Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives and Sri Lanka. Hence, it tries to give and accommodate in faith and trust whatever it can.
• There is a restriction that no South Asian country can allow its territory to use relation and interest with other foreign countries.
• One of the major principles is that though the seven countries are a part of the BIMSTEC, no country can interfere with the internal matters of another country.
• All the countries of South Asia must respect each other’s territorial sovereignty and integrity.
• They must settle disputes peacefully through bilateral talks and negotiations whenever any disputes arise.

3. Future Prospects: BIMSTEC is gradually beginning to play a more significant role in bringing peace, prosperity and sustainable development among the member countries. The sectoral plans are strategic and institutional agreements. Moreover, the Memorandum of Associations also has some strong convictions of the member countries.

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About the author

With a master's degree in environmental science, Priya Sengupta found her true calling in words and stories. A passionate writer, avid reader and a dog parent, she spends her me-time reading Bengali literature and listening to soulful music.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Note: The views expressed in this article are solely the author’s own and do not reflect/represent those of Shiksha.