Regional Cooperation

In 2025, BIMSTEC has assumed newfound significance due to several interrelated factors. As SAARC remains paralyzed by Indo-Pak recrimination, BIMSTEC emerges as a promising alternative free from such bilateral impasse. Strategically located around the Bay of Bengal, the organization is poised to become a hub for regional trade and connectivity. The Bangkok Vision 2030, adopted during the 2025 Summit, articulated a shared roadmap that emphasized resilience, inclusivity, and sustainability

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The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) has emerged as a prominent regional organization with increasing geopolitical and economic clout in the Indo-Pacific. The 2025 BIMSTEC Summit, recently held in Bangkok, Thailand, signaled potential shifts in regional cooperation strategies. Here, we argue that a paradigm shift is essential for BIMSTEC to evolve into a more effective regional body. Using a theoretical framework based on Regional Integration Theory and Constructivism, we can explore key dimensions to demonstrate the urgency and direction of this much-needed transformation.

The geopolitical landscape of South and Southeast Asia is rapidly evolving, necessitating a rethink on regional cooperation mechanisms. BIMSTEC, comprising Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand, was initially established to promote economic and technical cooperation. However, persistent institutional weaknesses and inconsistent political will have limited its potential. The 2025 BIMSTEC summit in Bangkok took place at a crucial time when member states were grappling with post-pandemic recovery, environmental crises, and significant geopolitical realignments.

These include internal turmoil in Bangladesh and Myanmar on one hand, and on the other, the shadow of war between Russia and Ukraine, the unresolved Palestinian issue, and the resurgence of Donald Trump's tariff-centric policies affecting global trade, all adding to a growing sense of a looming conflict narrative. Against this backdrop, the 2025 summit provides a strategic opportunity to rethink and reframe BIMSTEC's vision and functions. The need for a paradigm shift, therefore, is not merely notionally wishful but pragmatic and imperative, necessitated by the demands of a changing world.