The Bay of Bengal is once again emerging as one of the most consequential geoeconomic and geopolitical spaces in the world. As global supply chains diversify, the Indo-Pacific gains strategic salience, and regional groupings seek new avenues for cooperation, the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) finds itself at the centre of a historic opportunity.

Much of the contemporary discussion on BIMSTEC revolves around trade corridors, logistics networks, port infrastructure and connectivity projects. These are undoubtedly important. Yet, to understand the true significance of BIMSTEC, one must look beyond economics and rediscover the civilisational foundations that once made the Bay of Bengal one of the world's most vibrant regions of exchange.

The Bay of Bengal was never merely a body of water separating nations. Historically, it served as a bridge connecting societies. Long before modern nation-states emerged, merchants, monks, scholars and travellers moved across its waters carrying goods, ideas, knowledge and beliefs. The ports of ancient Bharat (India) connected seamlessly with the shores of present-day Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Thailand. The region was linked not only through commerce but through culture, learning and shared civilisational values.

In many ways, BIMSTEC represents the modern institutional expression of these historical connections.

Today, the seven BIMSTEC member states—Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand—collectively represent nearly one-fourth of humanity and a rapidly growing economic space. The region occupies a strategic position at the intersection of South Asia and Southeast Asia and forms an important pillar of the broader Indo-Pacific architecture.

Increasing Importance of BIMSTEC

For India, BIMSTEC has acquired increasing importance since 2014 with the convergence of the Neighbourhood First Policy, the Act East Policy and the SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) vision. Together, these initiatives recognise a simple strategic reality: India's prosperity and security are closely linked to the prosperity and stability of its immediate neighbourhood.

The transformation of India's Northeast and the strengthening of regional connectivity have become important components of this vision. In this regard, former Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla's observations regarding the Siliguri Corridor deserve particular attention. He has argued that the narrow stretch connecting mainland India to the Northeast is not merely a strategic corridor but a potential growth corridor linking Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and, through Myanmar, Southeast Asia. It is where Neighbourhood First and Act East converge, and where the future of regional connectivity may well be shaped.

This perspective is especially relevant as BIMSTEC advances its Master Plan for Transport Connectivity. The initiative seeks to integrate roads, railways, ports, inland waterways and digital networks across the region. Such efforts are essential because connectivity is no longer confined to physical infrastructure alone. The logistics corridor of the twenty-first century is simultaneously physical, digital, financial and institutional.

Trade facilitation remains central to this effort. While intra-regional trade in South Asia continues to remain below its potential, improvements in customs procedures, digital documentation, multimodal transport systems and border infrastructure can substantially reduce transaction costs and enhance economic integration. Logistics efficiency has become a decisive factor in determining competitiveness in global markets.

Yet infrastructure alone cannot guarantee regional integration.

The Bay of Bengal is once again emerging as one of the most consequential geoeconomic and geopolitical spaces in the world. As global supply chains diversify, the Indo-Pacific gains strategic salience, and regional groupings seek new avenues for cooperation, the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) finds itself at the centre of a historic opportunity.

Much of the contemporary discussion on BIMSTEC revolves around trade corridors, logistics networks, port infrastructure and connectivity projects. These are undoubtedly important. Yet, to understand the true significance of BIMSTEC, one must look beyond economics and rediscover the civilisational foundations that once made the Bay of Bengal one of the world's most vibrant regions of exchange.

The Bay of Bengal was never merely a body of water separating nations. Historically, it served as a bridge connecting societies. Long before modern nation-states emerged, merchants, monks, scholars and travellers moved across its waters carrying goods, ideas, knowledge and beliefs. The ports of ancient Bharat (India) connected seamlessly with the shores of present-day Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Thailand. The region was linked not only through commerce but through culture, learning and shared civilisational values.

In many ways, BIMSTEC represents the modern institutional expression of these historical connections.

Today, the seven BIMSTEC member states—Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand—collectively represent nearly one-fourth of humanity and a rapidly growing economic space. The region occupies a strategic position at the intersection of South Asia and Southeast Asia and forms an important pillar of the broader Indo-Pacific architecture.

Increasing Importance of BIMSTEC

For India, BIMSTEC has acquired increasing importance since 2014 with the convergence of the Neighbourhood First Policy, the Act East Policy and the SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) vision. Together, these initiatives recognise a simple strategic reality: India's prosperity and security are closely linked to the prosperity and stability of its immediate neighbourhood.

The transformation of India's Northeast and the strengthening of regional connectivity have become important components of this vision. In this regard, former Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla's observations regarding the Siliguri Corridor deserve particular attention. He has argued that the narrow stretch connecting mainland India to the Northeast is not merely a strategic corridor but a potential growth corridor linking Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and, through Myanmar, Southeast Asia. It is where Neighbourhood First and Act East converge, and where the future of regional connectivity may well be shaped.

This perspective is especially relevant as BIMSTEC advances its Master Plan for Transport Connectivity. The initiative seeks to integrate roads, railways, ports, inland waterways and digital networks across the region. Such efforts are essential because connectivity is no longer confined to physical infrastructure alone. The logistics corridor of the twenty-first century is simultaneously physical, digital, financial and institutional.

Trade facilitation remains central to this effort. While intra-regional trade in South Asia continues to remain below its potential, improvements in customs procedures, digital documentation, multimodal transport systems and border infrastructure can substantially reduce transaction costs and enhance economic integration. Logistics efficiency has become a decisive factor in determining competitiveness in global markets.

Yet infrastructure alone cannot guarantee regional integration.

A Shared Cultural Continuum

Successful economic cooperation requires trust, familiarity and a shared sense of purpose. Here, the BIMSTEC region enjoys a unique advantage that few regional organisations possess—a deep reservoir of civilisational connections.

The ancient Vedic injunction, "संगच्छध्वं संवदध्वं सं वो मनांसि जानताम्"—move together, speak together, let your minds be united—captures the essence of regional cooperation even today. Connectivity, dialogue and cooperation are not merely policy objectives; they are civilisational principles that have guided societies across the region for centuries.

From the birthplace of the Buddha in Nepal to the monasteries of Bhutan; from the Buddhist heritage of Bangladesh to the great stupas of Myanmar; from the Theravada traditions of Thailand to the sacred sites of Sri Lanka; and from India, where the philosophies of Dharma and Dhamma originated and spread across Asia, the BIMSTEC countries share a cultural continuum that predates modern borders.

The significance of these connections extends beyond symbolism. Cultural familiarity lowers barriers to cooperation. Shared heritage strengthens people-to-people relations. Educational exchanges, tourism circuits, academic collaborations and cultural diplomacy create social capital that complements economic integration.

This is why connectivity should be understood in its broadest sense.

Roads connect territories. Ports connect markets. Digital platforms connect economies. But culture connects peoples.

The Bay of Bengal region's historical experience demonstrates that commerce flourishes most effectively when supported by social and cultural linkages. Ancient maritime networks succeeded not merely because of favourable geography but because they were underpinned by trust, shared norms and sustained human interaction.

Opportunities Before BIMSTEC

The challenge before BIMSTEC today is therefore not simply to build infrastructure but to create an ecosystem of cooperation. Such an ecosystem would include efficient logistics corridors, seamless multimodal transport, integrated digital systems, resilient supply chains, educational partnerships, tourism networks and cultural exchanges. It would also encourage greater interaction among universities, think tanks, parliamentarians, entrepreneurs and civil society institutions across member countries.

The opportunities are substantial. As global economic activity increasingly shifts towards Asia, the Bay of Bengal region is well positioned to emerge as a major hub for manufacturing, services, logistics and maritime trade. The region can also play a significant role in strengthening supply chain resilience and promoting sustainable development.

For India, BIMSTEC offers a platform to translate its civilisational and strategic vision into practical regional cooperation. It provides an avenue to strengthen ties with immediate neighbours while simultaneously deepening engagement with Southeast Asia.

The future of BIMSTEC ultimately depends on whether member states can view connectivity not merely as an infrastructure project but as a broader process of regional transformation. The Bay of Bengal was once among the world's great highways of civilisation. It connected peoples, cultures and economies across vast distances. Today, as new highways, railways, ports and digital corridors take shape, the region has an opportunity to reconnect with that legacy.

If the twentieth century was shaped by the Atlantic and the early twenty-first century witnessed the rise of the Pacific, the coming decades may well belong to the Bay of Bengal. The foundations of that future will not be built solely through trade agreements or infrastructure projects. They will emerge from a shared commitment to connectivity, cooperation and civilisational understanding.

In the spirit of the timeless maxim "बहुजन हिताय, बहुजन सुखाय"—for the welfare of many, for the happiness of many—the BIMSTEC nations have an opportunity to build a region that is not only prosperous but also connected by shared values and common aspirations.

 

(The author is an alumnus of United Nations University, Tokyo, a foreign policy analyst, and a former Lok Sabha Research Fellow. This article is adapted from remarks delivered during the International Conference on “Strengthening BIMSTEC's Role in Connectivity, Culture and Cooperation”, jointly organised by India's Ministry of External Affairs and Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University, Gandhinagar, on June 6, 2026. The views expressed are personal. He can be reached at Siddhartha.dave@gmail.com/
www.linkedin.com/in/davesiddharth/

Twitter: @SiddharthaDave/

Instagram: @siddhartha.dave/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@CaptainMeeraSiddharthaDave)

Successful economic cooperation requires trust, familiarity and a shared sense of purpose. Here, the BIMSTEC region enjoys a unique advantage that few regional organisations possess—a deep reservoir of civilisational connections.

The ancient Vedic injunction, "संगच्छध्वं संवदध्वं सं वो मनांसि जानताम्"—move together, speak together, let your minds be united—captures the essence of regional cooperation even today. Connectivity, dialogue and cooperation are not merely policy objectives; they are civilisational principles that have guided societies across the region for centuries.

From the birthplace of the Buddha in Nepal to the monasteries of Bhutan; from the Buddhist heritage of Bangladesh to the great stupas of Myanmar; from the Theravada traditions of Thailand to the sacred sites of Sri Lanka; and from India, where the philosophies of Dharma and Dhamma originated and spread across Asia, the BIMSTEC countries share a cultural continuum that predates modern borders.

The significance of these connections extends beyond symbolism. Cultural familiarity lowers barriers to cooperation. Shared heritage strengthens people-to-people relations. Educational exchanges, tourism circuits, academic collaborations and cultural diplomacy create social capital that complements economic integration.

This is why connectivity should be understood in its broadest sense.

Roads connect territories. Ports connect markets. Digital platforms connect economies. But culture connects peoples.

The Bay of Bengal region's historical experience demonstrates that commerce flourishes most effectively when supported by social and cultural linkages. Ancient maritime networks succeeded not merely because of favourable geography but because they were underpinned by trust, shared norms and sustained human interaction.

Opportunities Before BIMSTEC

The challenge before BIMSTEC today is therefore not simply to build infrastructure but to create an ecosystem of cooperation. Such an ecosystem would include efficient logistics corridors, seamless multimodal transport, integrated digital systems, resilient supply chains, educational partnerships, tourism networks and cultural exchanges. It would also encourage greater interaction among universities, think tanks, parliamentarians, entrepreneurs and civil society institutions across member countries.

The opportunities are substantial. As global economic activity increasingly shifts towards Asia, the Bay of Bengal region is well positioned to emerge as a major hub for manufacturing, services, logistics and maritime trade. The region can also play a significant role in strengthening supply chain resilience and promoting sustainable development.

For India, BIMSTEC offers a platform to translate its civilisational and strategic vision into practical regional cooperation. It provides an avenue to strengthen ties with immediate neighbours while simultaneously deepening engagement with Southeast Asia.

The future of BIMSTEC ultimately depends on whether member states can view connectivity not merely as an infrastructure project but as a broader process of regional transformation. The Bay of Bengal was once among the world's great highways of civilisation. It connected peoples, cultures and economies across vast distances. Today, as new highways, railways, ports and digital corridors take shape, the region has an opportunity to reconnect with that legacy.

If the twentieth century was shaped by the Atlantic and the early twenty-first century witnessed the rise of the Pacific, the coming decades may well belong to the Bay of Bengal. The foundations of that future will not be built solely through trade agreements or infrastructure projects. They will emerge from a shared commitment to connectivity, cooperation and civilisational understanding.

In the spirit of the timeless maxim "बहुजन हिताय, बहुजन सुखाय"—for the welfare of many, for the happiness of many—the BIMSTEC nations have an opportunity to build a region that is not only prosperous but also connected by shared values and common aspirations.

 

(The author is an alumnus of United Nations University, Tokyo, a foreign policy analyst, and a former Lok Sabha Research Fellow. This article is adapted from remarks delivered during the International Conference on “Strengthening BIMSTEC's Role in Connectivity, Culture and Cooperation”, jointly organised by India's Ministry of External Affairs and Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University, Gandhinagar, on June 6, 2026. The views expressed are personal. He can be reached at Siddhartha.dave@gmail.com/
www.linkedin.com/in/davesiddharth/

Twitter: @SiddharthaDave/

Instagram: @siddhartha.dave/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@CaptainMeeraSiddharthaDave)