A giant earthquake in civil war-ravaged Myanmar, extensive quake damage in Thailand, political instability in Bangladesh, and pro-monarchy rumblings in Nepal, this is the scenario under which the Sixth BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) Summit is to be held in Bangkok on April 3-4, thoroughly putting to test the relevance of the Summit theme—“Prosperous, Resilient and Open”.
Epicentred near Myanmar’s Mandalay, Friday’s giant 7.7 magnitude earthquake has rattled the Thai capital of Bangkok where scores of people are believed to have died although the exact damage is yet to be precisely assessed.
The earthquake and the damage it has caused have once again underlined the need for regional cooperation in the BIMSTEC region, which is now facing political instability and environmental disasters.
In a prompt response, India has already launched ‘Operation Brahma’ to supply aid to the worst-hit Myanmar with Indian Air Force aircraft ferrying food, medicine and relief items.
The Bangkok Summit, also to be attended by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is expected to look at ways and means to further and enhance regional cooperation among the member countries.
Besides highlighting India’s increasing voice as a leader of the Global South, with the Bangkok visit, PM Modi will seek to emphasise India’s commitment to its ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy, ‘Act East’ policy, ‘MAHASAGAR’ (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions) vision, and vision of the Indo-Pacific.
The Summit at Bangkok is expected to adopt the BIMSTEC Bangkok Vision 2030 and also ink a maritime transport cooperation agreement that will improve maritime connectivity by enhancing port access, easing customs and immigration procedures, and strengthening port infrastructure.
India has already proposed a Maritime Transport Centre of Excellence to serve as a hub for research, policy development, and capacity-building in the sector.
BIMSTEC comprises seven countries around the Bay of Bengal (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand) where other than India, China has considerable sway.
The strains within the BIMSTEC grouping have already started playing with Bangladesh’s chief advisor Muhammad Yunus making it a point to visit China before the Summit where he held a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on March 28, in a move indicative of his alignment, especially in the backdrop of his political opponent former Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina widely believed to be sheltered in India.
The Bangkok Summit also has a lot of relevance in view of the ongoing geo-political churn and also because of US President Donald Trump’s avowed policy of economic protectionism.