Why does BIMSTEC exist at all? What is its focus?

The Bay of Bengal is one of the world’s least integrated regions, with abysmal levels of trade, connectivity, and cooperation. The deep divide between India and other countries around the bay hinders their efforts to increase their economic and strategic interdependence.

BIMSTEC offers a well-positioned platform to help address these chal­lenges. But BIMSTEC’s mission to deepen regionalism will stand a better chance of succeeding if its members make the organization a priority, endow it with adequate resources, and enact reforms to strength its capabilities. 

 

Why such emphasis on the Bay of Bengal?

As the largest bay in the world, the Bay of Bengal is of pivotal impor­tance to the countries bordering it. More broadly, demographic, eco­nomic, and security developments in the region have crucial implica­tions for Asia and the global order. While exact definitions vary, the bay’s scope is generally defined as a “triangular basin” stretching west to east between Sri Lanka, Bangla­desh, and Malaysia. One-fourth of the world’s populations live in the seven countries around it, and half a billion people live directly on its coastal rim.

The highly populated Bay of Bengal carries a lot of economic promise. With a combined gross domestic product (GDP) close to $2.7 trillion and despite an adverse global financial environment, all seven countries were able to sustain average annual rates of economic growth between 3.4 and 7.5 percent from 2012 to 2016. The bay is also rich in untapped nat­ural resources, with some of the world’s largest reserves of gas and other seabed minerals, as well as, it is increasingly believed, oil. The nutrient input from the Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers ensures that the bay’s waters contain extraordinarily large fishing stocks.

 

Is BIMSTEC a platform to undercut SAARC?

BIMSTEC is complementary to SAARC and other regional initia­tives. But unlike SAARC, BIMSTEC has greater potential because it is not hostage to cyclical India-Paki­stan tensions. Its focus is also more towards the Southeast, focusing on inter-regional connectivity with Southeast Asia and the Indo-Pacific.

 

What brings the seven countries of BIMSTEC together?

In a more interdependent world, states around the Bay of Bengal are realizing that their national eco­nomic and security interests are increasingly tied to the ability to cooperate across borders through regional institutions. Responding to the inroads China has made in the region, India is placing an unprec­edented emphasis on strengthen­ing regional connectivity and links with Southeast Asia. Small BIMSTEC countries see regional multilater­alism as a potential check on the rising capabilities of China, India, and major external powers.

What is India’s role in BIMSTEC?

Under Prime Minster Modi, India has taken a proactive stance to revive BIMSTEC under its Act East policy. India’s leadership is important, but regional organiza­tions only succeed if all members move in the same direction. India’s strategic priority now is to connect with its neighboring countries in order to respond to China’s growing presence across South Asia and the Indian Ocean.

 

There is going to be a joint mil­itary exercise among BIMSTEC member states. Why involve militaries in this forum meant for technical and economic cooperation?

It does not make sense to separate economics and security. Whether it is the threat of terrorism, insur­gencies, or natural calamities, the military services need to be pre­pared to coordinate and cooperate in the Bay of Bengal region. The BIMSTEC states will not be able to achieve their developmental and connectivity plans without being able to secure their territories and populations. But BIMSTEC’s focus remains on economic cooperation and connectivity.

 

Nepal is not even on the Bay of Bengal. Why is it a BIMSTEC member then?

Nepal was historically well con­nected to the Bay of Bengal, via Kol­kata, Orissa and Bangladesh. This connection was interrupted because India closed its economy, and hence the repeated transit and trade crises between India and Nepal after the 1980s. Nepal then started to open its economy more than India and got interested in greater con­nectivity, trade and transit. Now with India also finally opening up, there is a chance for Nepal to revive its old Bay of Bengal connections, including via Bangladesh.

 

What does Nepal gain from such connections?

Under PM Oli, Nepal has achieved an unprecedented democratic sta­bility at home, and has indicated willingness to assume greater activ­ism and leadership in its foreign pol­icy. With Nepal’s greater power, stra­tegically situated between Asia’s two most important states, also comes greater responsibility.

Nepal has been diversifying its foreign policy, with closer rela­tions with Bhutan, Myanmar and Southeast Asian countries. BIMS­TEC offers an important platform for Nepal to develop its own Act East policy.

 

But BIMSTEC is by and large an Indian initiative, isn’t it?

It’s tempting for Nepal to just observe and criticize from the side­lines, and wrongly assume that BIM­STEC is an Indian initiative.

Instead, Nepal should see BIMSTEC as a historic opportunity to revive its historic links to North­east India, Bangladesh and the Bay of Bengal region. This will allow Nepal to again play its historic role as a bridging power, connecting the Tibetan plateau and the Hima­layas with the subcontinent and the Indian Ocean region. Multilat­eral institutions like BIMSTEC are particularly beneficial for small­er countries like Nepal, increasing their bargaining power over larger countries like India.

Bilateralism is often tempt­ing, especially with China, but multilateralism and regional coop­eration are more beneficial in the long term.

 

Shouldn’t Nepal instead be bat­ting for SAARC?

SAARC will remain important, but it will only be reactivated once India and Pakistan attempt a new normalization. Nepal will have to be realistic and play on multiple geostrategic chessboards, including BIMSTEC, which offers an excellent platform to escape its landlocked position and connect to Northeast India, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Thailand. Nepal will benefit from greater integration, connectivity and cooperation across the Bay of Bengal region.

 

What can Nepal realistically expect from the upcoming summit?

It will be a symbolic moment for Nepal, after hosting the SAARC summit in 2014. BIMSTEC goes beyond South Asia, and focuses on the Bay of Bengal and links with Southeast Asia, including Myanmar and Thailand, and is therefore an opportunity for Nepal to assume greater global visibility.