Do you think that BIMSTEC is a parallel organisation like SAARC? What are the similarities and dissimilarities between the two? How are Indian foreign policy objectives realized by forming this new organisation? (Answer in 150 words)

BIMSTEC is not merely a substitute for SAARC. It links South and Southeast Asia through the Bay of Bengal and offers India a complementary platform for functional cooperation.

Comparison

• Both seek regional cooperation in trade, connectivity, security, culture and development and include India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
• SAARC is South Asian and includes Pakistan, Afghanistan and Maldives; BIMSTEC additionally includes Myanmar and Thailand and excludes Pakistan.
• SAARC’s consensus is constrained by India–Pakistan tensions, whereas BIMSTEC’s smaller strategic grouping can advance practical cooperation, though it faces its own capacity and political challenges.

India’s objectives

• Act East policy connects India’s Northeast with ASEAN and Southeast Asian markets.
• Neighbourhood First, coastal security and disaster-management cooperation strengthen the Bay of Bengal community.
• Transport, energy and digital connectivity diversify trade routes and support regional value chains.
• Counter-terrorism and maritime cooperation advance a free, open and secure Indo-Pacific.

Conclusion

BIMSTEC should complement, not formally replace, SAARC through result-oriented projects and respect for sovereign equality.

Bay of Bengal; Act East; Neighbourhood First; ASEAN; connectivity; Indo-Pacific; regionalism.