📰 In News – 6th BIMSTEC Summit 2025 (Bangkok, Thailand)

📍 Key Facts

• Event: Sixth BIMSTEC Summit
• Date & Venue: April 4, 2025 – Bangkok, Thailand
• Host: Thailand (Chair of BIMSTEC 2022–2025)
• Members: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand

🔹 Major Outcomes

1. Sixth BIMSTEC Summit Declaration
   • Push for BIMSTEC Free Trade Area (FTA) Agreement.
   • Exploration of cross-border payment system and trade settlement in local currencies.
   • Investment in port infrastructure & logistics.
2. Agreements Signed
   • BIMSTEC Agreement on Maritime Transport Cooperation → To ease logistics, reduce bottlenecks, deepen integration.
3. Connectivity Initiatives
   • Laem Chabang Port (Thailand) upgrade under Eastern Economic Corridor (gateway to South Asia).
   • India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway (≈70% complete) → future road link to Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam.
   • 3,000 km BIMSTEC Power Grid (Thailand–Myanmar–India) → green energy integration, supports Thailand’s Bio-Circular-Green (BCG) Model.
4. Sectoral Leadership (Functional Model)
   • India → Security
   • Bhutan → Environment & Climate Change
   • Thailand → Connectivity

🔹 Thailand’s Global Engagement

• Member of: ASEAN, APEC, BIMSTEC
• Accession process for: OECD (expected GDP boost +1.6%).
• Joined: BRICS (Partner 2025) – will attend BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro (July 6–7, 2025).
• Focus areas with BRICS → Education, health, climate change, business links.

🔹 Statements

• “Thailand would like to revitalise activities among countries in BIMSTEC.” – Maris Sangiampongsa (Foreign Minister, Thailand)
• “We are sitting in a strategic location where we can link 4bn people together.” – Maris Sangiampongsa
  
  Updated - 5 April 2025 ; 10: 20AM  | https://impact.economist.com/