About BIMSTEC

About BIMSTEC:

• BIMSTEC is a regional organization comprising seven member states lying in the littoral and adjacent areas of the Bay of Bengal constituting a contiguous regional unity. 
• It came into being on 6 June 1997 through the Bangkok Declaration.
• It constitutes seven Member States: five deriving from South Asia, including Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and two from Southeast Asia, including Myanmar and Thailand.
• The main aim of the BIMSTEC was the promotion of economic cooperation between countries bordering the Bay of Bengal.
• BIMSTEC has identified 14 priority areas of mutual cooperation where a member country takes lead.
  • India is the lead country for Transport & Communication, Tourism, Environment & Disaster Management and Counter Terrorism & Transnational Crime. 
• Permanent Secretariat: Dhaka, Bangladesh

Q1: What is SAARC?

SAARC is an economic and political regional organisation of countries in South Asia set up in 1985. It aims to accelerate the process of economic and social development in its member states through increased intra-regional cooperation. The Secretariat of the Association was set up in Kathmandu, Nepal, on 17 January 1987. SAARC has eight member countries (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri-Lanka).

Source: India launches first training programme for civil servants from BIMSTEC nations