New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday described the outreach of BRICS to the regional grouping BIMSTEC as “significant”, triggering further speculation that India may be looking at BIMSTEC as an alternative to the dysfunctional SAARC which has been bogged down by Indo-Pak hostility.
As the host of the forthcoming BRICS Summit in Goa this Sunday, India had utilised the prerogative of the host as per BRICS rules to invite leaders of the BIMSTEC regional grouping for an outreach summit. The decision had been taken by PM Modi in April this year. India is a member of both BRICS and BIMSTEC.
“I am happy that India is facilitating an outreach Summit with BIMSTEC leaders of Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand. The outreach with BIMSTEC leaders is significant. We hope to tap the huge potential for cooperation and the dividends this will bring. Over the next few days, India will host world leaders for the 8th BRICS & 1st ever BRICS-BIMSTEC Outreach Summit,” PM Modi tweeted. PM Modi also welcomed the visiting leaders of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) to the Summit.
With SAARC faltering badly due to Pakistan's support to cross-border terrorism, India seems to be giving prominence to regional grouping BIMSTEC - so far considered "dormant" by many - which comprises India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.
Out of the seven countries, five including India are members of SAARC while Myanmar and Thailand are members of south-east Asian grouping ASEAN.
Top officials of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had said last week that BIMSTEC had a "lot of commonalities" and that "there were no (serious contentious) issues" in the grouping.
After the BRICS Summit on Sunday, BRICS will have an outreach” Summit later the same day with top BIMSTEC leaders including Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh and Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena.
With SAARC countries like Sri Lanka openly talking of other options after cancellation of the recent Islamabad SAARC Summit, perhaps there is a growing feeling in New Delhi that it is time to look at other options too while remaining committed to the idea of SAARC.
The only SAARC nations that are not part of BIMSTEC - apart from Pakistan - are Afghanistan and the Maldives. India already has a robust and close bilateral relationship with Afghanistan and is also stepping up ties with the Maldives.
