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As an emerging zone of convergence between South and Southeast Asia, the Bay of Bengal has gained strategic and economic prominence within the broader Indo-Pacific framework. At the heart of this regional cooperative architecture lies the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), which emphasises connectivity as a cardinal pillar to regional growth and development. Since its inception in 1997, BIMSTEC has identified ‘transport and communication’ as a key area of cooperation. At the 5th BIMSTEC Summit in March 2022, this sector was reorganised and renamed ‘connectivity’(1). Anchored in principles of equality, non-interference, and mutual benefit, the BIMSTEC Charter (adopted in March 2022) entrusts Thailand with leadership in advancing this sector.
This volume examines how BIMSTEC’s connectivity agenda reflects the collective aspirations of its member states—Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand—for shared prosperity, regional resilience, and openness in a multipolar Indo-Pacific. Despite differences, these countries share a broad consensus that greater connectivity is key to unlocking the region's economic potential and advancing its development. BIMSTEC encourages cooperative integration and open regionalism through port development and cross-border electricity trade. Simultaneously, efforts to enhance resilient infrastructure, coupled with diversification of supply networks, address the region's growing vulnerability to economic disruptions, environmental challenges, and geopolitical changes.
Member states regard connectivity as an engine of economic integration and political cohesiveness, while infrastructure development is largely regarded as a logistical activity. From a geographic point of view, Nepal and Bhutan have deemed BIMSTEC programmes as important to open access to the blue and digital economies. While the connectivity agenda also seeks to position Sri Lanka and Myanmar in regional supply chains and movement corridors, this agenda also captures national interests related to port development, trade facilitation, and maritime cooperation for coastal nations such as Bangladesh, India, and Thailand.
With projects such as cross-border electricity trade and resilient infrastructure development, BIMSTEC tries to establish open regionalism that benefits all, regardless of size or geography. Thus, these efforts aim to reduce shared vulnerabilities to climate change, economic shocks, and geopolitical uncertainties—the issues increasingly highlighted by the smaller and more vulnerable economies in the grouping. However, the connectivity discourse today also encompasses domains beyond physical infrastructure: digital connectivity, supply-chain security, blue economy cooperation and disaster-risk management, all of which now form essential building blocks for a future-ready regional order. By placing BIMSTEC's evolving connectivity vision within the broader Indo-Pacific discourse, this volume tries to link regional perceptions with cooperative integration. Thus, it asks how BIMSTEC can be made into a vehicle for creating a Bay of Bengal community that is more prosperous, resilient, and inclusive, in harmony with the Charter's founding spirit.
The Bangkok Vision 2030(2), adopted and spearheaded by Thailand during the 6th Summit in March 2025, is an overarching document that revolves around the theme ‘A Prosperous, Resilient and Open BIMSTEC by 2030 for our people and future generations’. This vision document undertakes a value-laden reclassification of the Bangkok Declaration of 1997, which serves as BIMSTEC’s foundational mandate, and recategorises BIMSTEC’s seven comprehensive areas of cooperation under the three crucial heads: ‘prosperous’, ‘resilient’, and ‘open’.
This document sets clear directions towards a ‘prosperous BIMSTEC’ through economic integration and inclusive development, with special emphasis on supporting the developmental needs of the least developed countries (LDCs; Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar and Nepal)(3); a ‘resilient BIMSTEC’ through stability, preparedness, and institutional robustness to effectively mitigate non-traditional security challenges that has been facing the region; and an ‘open BIMSTEC’ through inclusive dialogue, people-to-people engagement, cultural exchanges, tourism and so on. However, despite such an ambitious roadmap and the immense potential the region offers, several areas need strengthening for effective implementation, including enhancing institutional capacity, improving financing, and resolving political and security divergences among member countries. Initiatives such as the BIMSTEC Master Plan for Transport Connectivity and the Grid Interconnection Master Plan mark significant progress toward realising this vision. However, key gaps persist, including the lack of strong conflict-resolution mechanisms, insufficient gender-responsive policies, significant environmental vulnerabilities, and an unclear approach to external engagement.
A further challenge lies in resource mobilisation. While Vision 2030 outlines aspirations across multiple sectors, it does not provide clarity on financing models, the role of multilateral development banks, or how to systematically engage the private sector. The Vision’s implementation thus hinges on BIMSTEC’s ability to complement state-driven efforts with private investment, regional value chains, development partnerships, and climate-finance frameworks. Strengthening the secretariat, increasing predictable funding, and developing a monitoring mechanism remain important prerequisites for transforming the Bangkok Vision into tangible progress.
The BIMSTEC Master Plan for Transport Connectivity (as designed by the Asian Development Bank)(4), comprising 267 projects (216 in infrastructure, 51 in soft infrastructure), is closely aligned with the Bangkok Vision 2030 and reflects strong progress toward its framework. Finalised under India’s chairmanship and adopted in March 2022, the plan aims to create a seamless multimodal transport network to improve the movement of goods and people. Its implementation is evident in major achievements such as the Akhaura–Agartala rail link (yet to be operationalised), highlighting effective India–Bangladesh cooperation. Complementary developments, including coastal shipping arrangements and expanded inland waterway protocols also strengthen bilateral connectivity. Ongoing initiatives, such as the India–Myanmar–Thailand Trilateral Highway, are expected to provide Nepal and Bhutan with better access to regional markets. Other significant projects, such as the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Railway Bridge and the Matarbari deep-sea port in Bangladesh, underscore the plan’s broader goal of enhancing intra-regional trade and integration.
Yet the Master Plan, ambitious and holistic in scope, needs convergence with border management systems, customs modernisation, digital trade mechanisms, and regulatory harmonisation. Without unified standards, interoperable logistics systems, and coordinated infrastructure planning, physical connectivity alone cannot translate into trade gains. The absence of dedicated dispute-resolution frameworks and slow progress in modernising land customs stations further limit the Master Plan’s transformative potential. Moreover, the Plan requires stronger links with the private sector, which will be key to maintaining transport fleets, operating logistics corridors, and transforming ports into competitive regional hubs.
A key insight shared by both the Vision and the Master Plan is that BIMSTEC’s relevance depends on turning ambitious plans into practical outcomes. With a population of 1.7 billion and a combined GDP of US$5 trillion(5), the region holds vast potential. Unlocking it, however, requires sustained commitment to harmonising standards, easing customs procedures, and addressing political differences to position BIMSTEC as a vital bridge between the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The current situation presents significant challenges. Weak regional coordination, inadequate information sharing, and uneven technical standards obstruct the development of seamless road connectivity across BIMSTEC. Ageing transport fleets and cross-border restrictions also inflate costs and reduce efficiency, highlighting the need for private investment and aligned operational frameworks. Ongoing security concerns, particularly in conflict-affected areas such as Myanmar, continue to slow progress and impede the establishment of dependable regional transport networks.
Compounding these operational difficulties are climate-induced disruptions—cyclones, floods, landslides, and coastal erosion—which significantly affect transport corridors, supply chains, and border infrastructure. Without climate-proof planning and early-warning systems, connectivity projects risk becoming vulnerable to recurring environmental shocks. The Bay of Bengal is one of the world’s most disaster-prone regions, and BIMSTEC’s connectivity ambitions can succeed only when resilience becomes integral to corridor planning.
Recent political turbulence in Bangladesh and the ensuing constitutional crisis have clouded the prospects for India–Bangladesh cooperation. The resulting instability has disrupted trade flows and infrastructure projects: rail services linking the two countries have reportedly been suspended, jeopardising cross-border connectivity vital for BIMSTEC ambitions(6). Moreover, the protracted Rohingya crisis is also a cause for concern. The continued influx of refugees and the absence of progress on safe repatriation have heightened Dhaka’s security and humanitarian burdens. Together, these pressures have become significant irritants for Bangladesh on both the domestic and regional fronts, thereby challenging the momentum of BIMSTEC connectivity and integration efforts. Additionally, the recent death-sentence verdict for Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has introduced fresh uncertainty into India–Bangladesh relations(7). Strategically, this instability raises questions about the long-term feasibility of major regional infrastructure initiatives, potentially undermining the momentum of the BIMSTEC transport plan.
These political developments highlight a larger structural gap: BIMSTEC lacks mechanisms to shield connectivity initiatives from domestic political fluctuations. Until the organisation institutionalises dispute-management tools, risk-sharing mechanisms, and long-term project safeguards, progress will remain vulnerable to shifting national politics, geopolitical pressures, and security disruptions.
This volume is divided into four major sections.
The first section, ‘Common Goals, Open Futures: Strengthening Regionalism through Collaboration in the Bay of Bengal’, comprises three essays that collectively underscore BIMSTEC’s strategic potential as a bridge between South and Southeast Asia while highlighting the persistent challenges that impel its effectiveness. The essays assess how the organisation’s strategic promise is shaped—and often constrained—by institutional capacities, political conditions, and the differing national priorities of its member states. Together, they offer a grounded understanding of the opportunities and structural reforms necessary to strengthen BIMSTEC’s regional relevance and effectiveness. Sreeradha Dutta emphasises BIMSTEC’s growing relevance amid SAARC’s stagnation but notes that political instability, weak institutional capacity, and funding shortages continue to hinder progress. She identifies security cooperation, trade facilitation, and multimodal connectivity as priority areas requiring renewed commitment, with India playing a central role. Pratnashree Basu focuses on the widening gap between BIMSTEC’s ambitions and its institutional reality, arguing for stronger structures—such as a more empowered secretariat, streamlined mechanisms, and sustainable financing—drawing lessons from organisations like ASEAN and the European Union. Complementing these perspectives, Nishchal Nath Pandey highlights Nepal’s proactive engagement and BIMSTEC’s value to landlocked states, while cautioning that geopolitical tensions, limited capacity, and structural weaknesses still impede deeper integration. Together, the essays call for incremental yet determined efforts to strengthen BIMSTEC’s institutional foundations, enhance connectivity, and reinforce collective regional resilience.
The second section, ‘Connectivity for Prosperity: Member States’ Priorities to Achieve Common Goals’, has five essays that highlight the varied yet interconnected perspectives of the BIMSTEC countries on regional connectivity, economic integration, and security cooperation. Together, these essays map the ambitions, constraints, and strategic choices that inform BIMSTEC’s evolving approach to building an integrated and future-ready Bay of Bengal region. In this context, U Kyaw Nyunt Lwin underscores Myanmar’s strategic role as the land bridge between South and Southeast Asia, noting both its geographic advantages—spanning ancient trade routes and key ports—and the setbacks caused by ongoing political instability. From Thailand’s standpoint, Surat Horachaikul emphasises Bangkok’s centrality in driving BIMSTEC connectivity through its ‘Thailand 4.0’ vision, Eastern Economic Corridor, and middle-power diplomacy that balances relations with India and China. Roshan Saha and Anasua Basu Ray Chaudhury focus on energy security, arguing that despite strong economic and sustainability incentives, political mistrust, regulatory inconsistencies, and infrastructure deficits continue to impede meaningful cross-border energy cooperation. Offering a Sri Lankan lens, Aditya Gowdara Shivamurthy notes Colombo’s renewed interest in trade and connectivity amid its economic recovery, even as slow BIMSTEC progress pushes it toward bilateral engagements, particularly with India. Complementing these dimensions, Sohini Bose highlights the critical role of maritime connectivity, observing that while BIMSTEC has made some progress, it lacks a dedicated port development agenda—an area where India’s decade-long Sagarmala programme offers valuable lessons for strengthening regional maritime infrastructure. Together, these contributions illustrate both the promise and persistent challenges of advancing a cohesive and resilient BIMSTEC connectivity framework.
The third section, ‘Sustainable Growth and Economic Diversification: Responses from the Regional Stakeholders’, includes four essays that examine how BIMSTEC members are shaping a forward-looking development agenda rooted in national priorities and regional synergies. Collectively, these contributions explore how diverse economies—from Bhutan and Bangladesh to India and the wider region—are leveraging BIMSTEC to advance sustainability, economic diversification, geoeconomic cooperation, and climate resilience. The essays capture the growing recognition that long-term prosperity in the Bay of Bengal hinges on aligning domestic development strategies with BIMSTEC’s emerging vision for an integrated, resilient, and future-ready region. Karma Dorji illustrates Bhutan’s value-driven engagement rooted in Gross National Happiness, showcasing its initiatives in digital connectivity, organic agriculture, and energy diversification as aligned with BIMSTEC’s sustainable development goals. Soumya Bhowmik charts BIMSTEC’s transformation from inertia to institutional renewal—with the Charter, sectoral rationalisation, and Vision 2030—arguing that its future credibility hinges on delivering tangible outcomes in trade, connectivity, and geoeconomic cooperation. Nilanjan Ghosh presents an eight-pillar ‘India Wishlist’, outlining how a functional BIMSTEC can drive trade growth, supply-chain de-risking, trusted connectivity, blue economy collaboration, digital public infrastructure, value chains, knowledge creation, and institutional strengthening. Complementing these perspectives, Khondaker Golam Moazzem and Sabiha Sharmin situate Bangladesh’s participation as a strategic balance between domestic resilience and regional interdependence, emphasising connectivity expansion, trade diversification, renewable energy cooperation, and climate adaptation as key to its post-COVID-19 recovery and LDC graduation. Together, these contributions highlight BIMSTEC’s potential to emerge as a collaborative, future-ready platform anchored in shared prosperity, sustainability, and strategic coherence.
The fourth section, ‘Building Resilience: Considering Non-Traditional Security Among Member States’, has five essays that collectively highlight the breadth and urgency of non-traditional security (NTS) challenges confronting the BIMSTEC region, emphasising the need for coordinated, multidimensional, and people-centred responses. These contributions show how challenges such as trafficking, food insecurity, climate pressures, health risks, and human-development gaps now spill across borders, making coordinated, people-centred regional responses more urgent than ever. Taken together, the essays demonstrate that strengthening BIMSTEC’s NTS agenda is essential not only for safeguarding communities but also for reinforcing the region’s long-term stability, connectivity, and shared resilience. Sreeparna Banerjee draws attention to the growing threats of trafficking in persons, drugs, arms, and wildlife, exacerbated by porous borders and uneven enforcement capacities, calling for harmonised legal, operational, and community-level interventions. Shoba Suri underscores persistent nutritional vulnerabilities aggravated by climate shocks and limited agricultural trade, proposing a BIMSTEC food security framework rooted in climate-resilient agriculture, technology transfer, and equitable nutrition. Arpan Tulsyan positions education as a strategic yet underutilised tool for enhancing regional resilience, strengthening skills, connectivity, and people-to-people linkages to address a spectrum of NTS threats. Sufia Khanom highlights environmental degradation and climate change as the region’s most acute NTS risks, using Bangladesh as a case study to show how ecological stress drives broader insecurities, and argues that BIMSTEC’s unique geopolitical positioning offers a promising basis for collective action. Complementing these perspectives, Oommen C. Kurian and K.S. Uplabdh Gopal examine efforts to build health resilience through stronger primary care, digital health systems, and cross-border cooperation, asserting that integrated data, referral mechanisms, and social protection can help convert uneven national capacities into a shared buffer against future shocks. Together, these essays outline pathways for a more coordinated, resilient, and future-ready BIMSTEC security architecture.
This volume arrives at a crucial moment for BIMSTEC, offering a timely and multidimensional assessment of its evolving role in a rapidly changing Bay of Bengal region. Bringing together diverse scholarly and policy perspectives, it highlights both the organisation’s strategic potential and its persistent institutional, political, and developmental challenges. By examining connectivity, economic cooperation, and non-traditional security in an integrated manner, the volume aims to provide a holistic understanding of BIMSTEC’s connectivity roadmap and the member states’ aspirations. It presents analyses that outline the obstacles and practical pathways for strengthening BIMSTEC, making it a valuable resource for shaping a more connected, resilient, and future-ready regional architecture.
Anasua Basu Ray Chaudhury is a Senior Fellow with ORF’s Neighbourhood Initiative.
(1) Sohini Bose, Sreeparna Banerjee and Anasua Basu Ray Chaudhury, “The BIMSTEC Master Plan for Transport Connectivity: A Stocktaking,” ORF Occasional Paper No. 439, June 2024, Observer Research Foundation, https://www.orfonline.org/research/the-bimstec-master-plan-for-transport-connectivity-a-stocktaking.
(2) BIMSTEC Secretariat, https://bimstec.org/images/content_page_pdf/1743399433_Press%20Release_31032025.pdf.
(3) Confederation of Indian Industries, CII-BIMSTEC Business Summit, CII, August 2024, https://www.cii.in/International_ResearchPDF/BIMSTEC_BUSINESS_SUMMIT_ReportWeb.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com.
(4) Asian Development Bank, BIMSTEC Master Plan for Transport Connectivity, ADB, April 2022, https:// www.adb.org/sites/default/files/institutional-document/740916/bimstec-master-plantransport-connectivity.pdf.
(5) Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, “Brief on BIMSTEC”, https://www.mea.gov.in/Portal/ForeignRelation/India-BIMSTE-2025.pdf.
(6) Rhik Kundu, Dhirendra Kumar, and Suneera Tandon, “As Bangladesh descends into chaos, India’s trade and security hang in the balance”, The Mint, August 6, 2024, https://www.livemint.com/economy/bangladesh-crisis-indian-exports-trade-infrastructure-projects-engineering-goods-textiles-china-insurgency-immigration-11722936624440.html.
(7) Jayanta Ghoshal, “How Hasina's Death Sentence Has Put Delhi-Dhaka Relations At Crossroads”, NDTV, November 19, 2025, https://www.ndtv.com/opinion/how-sheikh-hasinas-death-sentence-has-put-delhi-dhaka-relations-at-crossroads-9666144.
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Anasua Basu Ray Chaudhury is Senior Fellow with ORF’s Neighbourhood Initiative. She is the Editor, ORF Bangla. She specialises in regional and sub-regional cooperation in ...
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