Written by The Banking Post
BIMSTEC Secretary General Indra Mani Pandey has said the bloc’s efforts to deepen trade, investment, connectivity and cooperation on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are contributing to security and development in the Indo-Pacific.
Speaking at the 3rd Indo-Pacific Economic Conclave in Kolkata on September 18–19, Pandey highlighted BIMSTEC’s growing role in fostering regional cooperation across South and Southeast Asia. He pointed to advances in maritime, surface and digital connectivity, as well as broader areas of maritime cooperation under the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation.
In a fireside chat with scholar Prabir De, the Secretary General underlined BIMSTEC’s achievements in strengthening people-to-people ties, business interactions, and building relevance as a platform for regional cooperation.
The Conclave, hosted by the Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry, gathered policymakers, business leaders and experts to discuss economic prospects and challenges in the Indo-Pacific. Speakers noted that the region accounts for over 60% of global GDP, with maritime partnerships and trade shaping future growth. Discussions also focused on sustainability, clean energy transitions and trade barriers.
BIMSTEC groups seven countries around the Bay of Bengal — Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand — working together on cooperation in key sectors including trade and investment, connectivity, agriculture, security, climate change, and innovation.
