Bhutan has been a member of BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) since 2004 and serves as the lead country for the organization's Environment and Climate Change sector.
Bhutan has been a member of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) since February 2004. Within the organization, Bhutan serves as the lead country for the Environment and Climate Change sector, one of the seven priority areas of cooperation. BIMSTEC membership represents one of Bhutan's principal multilateral engagements and reflects the country's interest in regional economic cooperation while maintaining its historically selective approach to international organizations.[1]
Background on BIMSTEC
BIMSTEC is a regional organization comprising seven member states: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. It was established on 6 June 1997 with the signing of the Bangkok Declaration, initially as BIST-EC (Bangladesh-India-Sri Lanka-Thailand Economic Cooperation). Myanmar joined in December 1997, and Bhutan and Nepal were admitted as full members in February 2004. At the first summit, held on 31 July 2004, the organization was formally renamed BIMSTEC.[2]
The permanent secretariat of BIMSTEC is located in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The organization operates through a framework of sectoral cooperation, with each member state leading one or more designated sectors. In 2022, at the fifth summit held in Colombo, Sri Lanka, the number of cooperation sectors was restructured from fourteen to seven for greater manageability.
Bhutan's Accession
Bhutan's accession to BIMSTEC in 2004 was notable given the country's traditionally cautious approach to international organizations. Bhutan is not a member of the Non-Aligned Movement and joined the United Nations only in 1971. Its participation in BIMSTEC was facilitated by the organization's sub-regional focus and its emphasis on economic cooperation rather than collective security. Bhutan deposited its instrument of ratification of the BIMSTEC Charter on 2 February 2024, following the charter's adoption at the fifth summit in March 2022. The charter came into force in April 2024 after all seven member states completed ratification.[1]
Environment and Climate Change Leadership
Bhutan's designated sector within BIMSTEC is Environment and Climate Change. This assignment reflects Bhutan's international reputation as an environmentally progressive nation. Bhutan is one of the few countries in the world that is carbon negative, with its extensive forest cover (over 70 percent of its land area) absorbing more carbon dioxide than the country emits. The country's constitutional mandate requires that a minimum of 60 percent of its land remain under forest cover at all times.[3]
The institutional mechanism for this sector is the Joint Working Group on Environment and Climate Change (JWG-ECC). The fourth meeting of the JWG-ECC was held on 15-16 January 2026 in Thimphu, hosted by Bhutan's Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources. The working group coordinates regional approaches to climate change mitigation and adaptation, environmental conservation, and related policy frameworks among the seven member states.[4]
Participation in BIMSTEC Summits
Bhutan has participated in all BIMSTEC summits since its accession:
| Summit | Year | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Summit | 2004 | Bangkok, Thailand |
| 2nd Summit | 2008 | New Delhi, India |
| 3rd Summit | 2014 | Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar |
| 4th Summit | 2018 | Kathmandu, Nepal |
| 5th Summit | 2022 | Colombo, Sri Lanka (virtual) |
| 6th Summit | 2025 | Bangkok, Thailand |
At the 5th BIMSTEC Summit in Colombo (held virtually on 30 March 2022), the member states adopted the BIMSTEC Charter, which provides the organization with a formal legal framework for the first time. The 6th Summit took place in Bangkok on 4-5 April 2025, where leaders pledged further economic integration. Following the Bangkok Summit, Bangladesh assumed the BIMSTEC chairmanship.[2]
Significance for Bhutan
BIMSTEC membership serves several strategic purposes for Bhutan. As a landlocked country situated between India and China, Bhutan has limited multilateral platforms through which to engage with the broader region. BIMSTEC provides a forum for engagement with South and Southeast Asian nations that complements Bhutan's bilateral relationships and its membership in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).
BIMSTEC has been viewed by some analysts as a more functional alternative to SAARC, which has been largely paralyzed since 2016 due to India-Pakistan tensions. For Bhutan, which has no diplomatic relations with Pakistan and has historically aligned closely with India in regional affairs, BIMSTEC offers a regional grouping that excludes Pakistan while including the Southeast Asian nations of Myanmar and Thailand, potentially opening economic and connectivity opportunities.
Bhutan's leadership of the environment and climate change sector also allows it to project its environmental credentials on a regional stage. The assignment aligns with Bhutan's broader international identity, which has been shaped by policies such as Gross National Happiness and its carbon-negative status.
See Also
- Foreign Relations of Bhutan
- SAARC
- Bhutan-India Relations
- Gross National Happiness
- BIMSTEC and Bhutan
References
- History — BIMSTEC Official Website
- BIMSTEC — Wikipedia
- Environment and Climate Change — BIMSTEC Official Website
- Fourth Meeting of BIMSTEC Joint Working Group on Environment and Climate Change — Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, Bhutan
- 5th BIMSTEC Summit — Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade, Bhutan
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