New Delhi: The sixth BIMSTEC Summit is scheduled to take place on April 4, 2025, in Bangkok, Thailand, under the theme “Prosperous, Resilient, and Open BIMSTEC”. This marks the first in-person BIMSTEC summit since 2018 and follows the virtual 5th Summit held in Colombo in 2022. The event will be preceded by meetings of senior officials on April 2 and foreign ministers on April 3.
Key objectives of the summit include enhancing regional cooperation among the seven member states—Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand—to address shared challenges related to security and development.
The summit will adopt the “Bangkok Vision 2030,” a strategic roadmap for fostering economic cooperation, sustainability, and security. Leaders will also sign significant agreements such as the Agreement on Maritime Transport Cooperation to improve trade and travel across the Bay of Bengal. Additionally, MoUs with the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) will expand developmental partnerships.
Other notable outcomes include adopting the Rules of Procedure for BIMSTEC Mechanisms and reviewing the Report of the Eminent Persons Group on BIMSTEC’s future direction. These steps aim to strengthen institutional frameworks and align regional goals with global sustainable development objectives.
Thailand’s chairmanship (2022–2025) has emphasised innovation-driven growth, green industries, connectivity, and food security. The summit is expected to reinforce BIMSTEC’s role as a vital regional organisation for South and Southeast Asia’s 1.7 billion people, focusing on sectors like trade, connectivity, climate change, and disaster management.
