PM Modi to visit earthquake-hit Bangkok to attend 6th BIMSTEC Summit

PM Modi will be visiting Bangkok as part of his two-day visit to Thailand on April 3 to participate in the BIMSTEC Summit. Bangkok is gearing up to host the sixth BIMSTEC Summit, and preparations are underway in full swing in the earthquake-ravaged capital city of Thailand. Leaders from Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand are set to meet in the city on April 4.

The theme of this year’s Summit is ‘Prosperous, Resilient, and Open BIMSTEC’. The BIMSTEC, or Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation, comprises seven South Asian and Southeast Asian countries of the Bay of Bengal region. The sub-regional grouping was formed in 1997 and subsequently gained its present form in 2004 at the first Summit of the nations in Bangkok. Since then, four more summits have been held — in New Delhi (2008), Nay Pyi Taw (2014), Kathmandu (2018) and Colombo (2022).

PM Modi in Bangkok

While in Thailand, PM Modi is set to meet Nepal’s Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit. The two leaders are slated to meet for half an hour in Bangkok, according to the Kathmandu Post.

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According to news reports citing sources familiar with the developments, the previous meeting between PM Modi and his Nepali counterpart during the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York reportedly did not go well. So all eyes are on this meeting, especially given the internal pro-Hindu protests in Nepal.

Why the present edition of the Summit matters

Amid rising geopolitical and economic uncertainties, this present edition of the grouping gains special significance.

To begin with, this will be the first physical post-pandemic BIMSTEC Summit. It is also the first physical summit of the group since the Myanmar military coup in February 2021 pushed the country into an internal conflict. More recently, the recent earthquake has wreaked havoc on Myanmar.

Internal political turmoil has been rocking Bangladesh and Nepal. India’s hilly neighbour has been seeing its share of protests and demonstrations by pro-monarchy and pro-Hindu groups.

The present edition will witness the signing of key MoUs on new developmental partnerships. Of these, one will be between BIMSTEC and the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), comprising 23 member states and 12 dialogue partners. Furthermore, there is another Memorandum of Understanding to be signed between BIMSTEC and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

Furthermore, the BIMSTEC is also slated to ratify the support for the Report of the Eminent Persons Group on the Future Direction of BIMSTEC. The report lays out suggestions for the organization’s continued development. Additionally, the leaders are set to adopt the Rules of Procedure for BIMSTEC Mechanisms, which will improve the organisation’s institutional framework.