BIMSTEC Secretary General Indra Mani Pandey said on Tuesday that 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.

The summit marked an important milestone in the grouping’s institutional evolution, with the leaders adopting the BIMSTEC Bangkok Vision 2030, which outlines a roadmap towards a “Prosperous, Resilient and Open BIMSTEC” by 2030.

The BIMSTEC Agreement on Maritime Transport Cooperation was also signed during the summit, aiming to strengthen maritime connectivity, facilitate the movement of goods and passengers, and promote greater economic integration among the member states.

As the current chair, Bangladesh has placed particular emphasis on making BIMSTEC a more effective, result-oriented and people-centric regional organisation while advancing cooperation in areas of common interest.

BIMSTEC brings together seven countries of South and Southeast Asia — Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand — and represents a region encompassing around 1.8 billion people.

Established in 1997, the grouping seeks to promote economic growth, social progress and cooperation among its member states in areas of common interest while serving as an important bridge between South and Southeast Asia.

Over the years, BIMSTEC has strengthened its institutional framework, particularly following the adoption of its charter, while cooperation has been reorganised into seven broad sectors, with each member state taking the lead in a designated area.

Bangladesh leads cooperation in trade, investment and development, while other member states spearhead cooperation in areas including security, connectivity, environment and climate change, agriculture and food security, people-to-people contact, and science, technology and innovation.