BIMSTEC-SAARC comparison 'misleading': Secy Gen

BIMSTEC Secretary General Indra Mani Pandey on Tuesday said comparisons between BIMSTEC and SAARC are "misleading and misplaced", arguing that such comparisons ultimately hurt the interests of the Bay of Bengal regional grouping.

“The comparison between BIMSTEC and SAARC is misleading and misplaced and hurts the interests of BIMSTEC,” he said while interacting with members of the Diplomatic Correspondents Association, Bangladesh (DCAB) at the BIMSTEC Secretariat in the capital.

Pandey said regional cooperation is a prerequisite for ensuring development and security across the Bay of Bengal region, noting that BIMSTEC has emerged as a dynamic and effective platform for advancing the shared aspirations of its member states.

He said the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) serves the core security and development interests of Bangladesh, as well as those of its other member states.

Highlighting the growing importance of the regional grouping, the Secretary General said BIMSTEC should be assessed on the basis of its own mandate, achievements and potential, rather than being viewed through the prism of other regional organisations.

"BIMSTEC is a real and present opportunity, not a remote and hypothetical possibility," Pandey said, underscoring the need for member states to make optimum use of the platform to deepen regional cooperation.

The Secretary General's remarks came at a time when BIMSTEC is seeking to accelerate the implementation of decisions taken by its leaders and strengthen cooperation in priority areas ranging from trade and connectivity to security, the environment and people-to-people contacts.

Bangladesh currently holds the chairmanship of BIMSTEC, having assumed the responsibility from Thailand at the Sixth BIMSTEC Summit held in Bangkok in April 2025.