Background

The leaders, during the First BIMSTEC Summit held in Bangkok on 31 July 2004, decided to proactively promote increased interaction among our peoples through programmes, such as exchanges of parliamentarians, media persons, students and faculty, sport persons as well as exchanges in the fields of performing arts and entertainment such as motion pictures, television programmes and music. Accordingly, the leaders in order to promote people-to-people contacts tasked India to lead in establishing a BIMSTEC Network of Policy Think Tanks (BNPTT) during the Second BIMSTEC Summit in November 2008.

During the Third BIMSTEC Summit held in March 2014, the leaders expressed commitment to expand linkages at various levels among the BIMSTEC Member States, including facilitating travels through the BIMSTEC Business Visa Scheme and BIMSTEC Visa Exemption Scheme. At the BIMSTEC Leaders’ Retreat held in Goa, India in October 2016, the leaders also agreed to expand linkages among our educational and research institutions.

In the Fourth BIMSTEC Summit held in August 2018, the leaders agreed to explore possibility of establishing appropriate BIMSTEC forums for parliamentarians, universities, academia, research institutes, cultural organizations and media community to expand the scope of people-to-people contacts.

The Nineteenth Ministerial Meeting held in March 2023 urged the Member States to explore the possibility of establishing other forums of youth, entrepreneurs, researchers, universities, cultural organizations, media etc. to further promote the people-to-people contact.

The Twentieth BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting reiterated the importance of strengthening people-to-people connectivity as a key pillar for deepening regional cooperation among the BIMSTEC Member States. The Ministers encouraged continued efforts to promote exchanges among youth, academics, researchers, media professionals, and cultural organizations, and emphasized the role of various people-to-people contact forums, including the BIMSTEC Network of Policy Think Tanks (BNPTT), in fostering dialogue, knowledge-sharing, and regional collaboration.

Most recently, the Sixth BIMSTEC Summit held on 04 April 2025 in Bangkok, Thailand recognized the importance of further promoting people-to-people contact at various levels, including in the areas of youth entrepreneurship, digital connectivity, tourism, culture, youth and sports. The Leaders also expressed commitment to enhancing the visibility of BIMSTEC by organizing public awareness programmes, cultural events, sports, youth engagements and film festivals among the Member States. These efforts align with the objectives of the BIMSTEC Bangkok Vision 2030, which seeks to build a Prosperous, Resilient and Open BIMSTEC, including through promoting sustainable tourism capitalizing on shared heritage and historical, cultural and people-to-people ties, and preparing for increased cross-border and regional mobility of peoples.

Institutional Mechanism

i.    BIMSTEC Network of Policy Think Tanks (BNPTT)
The BIMSTEC Network of Policy Think Tanks (BNPTT) was established subsequent to the decision taken at the Second BIMSTEC Summit held in November 2008. The Third BIMSTEC Summit welcomed the setting up of the BNPTT and agreed to cooperate and coordinate for organizing short-term activities such as workshops, seminars, and exchange programs, including audiovisual programs, and building public awareness on BIMSTEC. The leaders in Goa Retreat encouraged BNPTT to organize regular consultations and programs with stakeholders from the Member States with a view to intensifying people-to-people contact. The Fourth BIMSTEC Summit noted with satisfaction the activities of the BNPTT in enhancing public awareness about BIMSTEC and direct the relevant agencies to finalize the terms of reference (ToR) of the BNPTT. The First Meeting of the BIMSTEC Permanent Working Committee (BPWC) held in Colombo, Sri Lanka on 17-18 January 2019 finalized the ToR of the BNPTT. The BNPTT meetings held so far are provided in the following table:
 

The prime objective of the BNPTT is to promote people-to-people contact among the BIMSTEC Member States including providing policy options to the Member States on how to deepen regional cooperation, integration, and the future directions of BIMSTEC. 

ii.    BIMSTEC Expert Group on VISA Matters 

The First BIMSTEC Summit agreed to facilitate travel within the region for business travel, exchange programs, and tourism, including through the introduction of a BIMSTEC Business Travel Card/Visa. The Third BIMSTEC Summit reiterated to expand efforts to further promote people-to-people exchanges and linkages facilitating travels through the BIMSTEC Business Visa Scheme and the BIMSTEC Visa Exemption Scheme. The Fourth BIMSTEC Summit tasked the Expert Group on BIMSTEC Visa Matters to continue negotiation for the finalization of the modalities for the BIMSTEC visa facilitation.

BIMSTEC tried to initiate intra-regional tourism promotion through a free visa scheme in the region; however, there is not any visible progress to mention. The First and Second Expert Group Meetings on BIMSTEC Business Travel Card were held on 20-21 March 2006 and 1-2 February 2007 respectively in Kathmandu, Nepal. The meetings suggested changing the name of the meeting to “Expert Group Meeting on BIMSTEC Business Visa Scheme.” Since then, there has been a departure from the concept of BIMSTEC Business Travel Card to that of BIMSTEC Business Visa. The Third Expert Group meeting on BIMSTEC Business Visa Scheme was held on 27 November 2007 in Dhaka, Bangladesh, emphasized priority for implementation of the BIMSTEC Business Visa Scheme, and also recommended that BIMSTEC Visa Exemption Scheme should be provided to all the official and diplomatic passport holders, directly involved in BIMSTEC matters and participants to the BIMSTEC meetings/activities from the Member States. The “BIMSTEC Expert Group Meeting on Visa Schemes” was renamed as “BIMSTEC Expert Group on Visa Matters” in order to deal with the issue in its totality.

The Fourth Meeting of the BIMSTEC Expert Group on Visa Matters was held in Kathmandu, Nepal, on 20–21 November 2024. It underscored the importance of cooperation amongst the BIMSTEC member States on visa matters and decided to pursue BIMSTEC Visa Facilitation Scheme to promote intra-BIMSTEC travels, people-to-people exchanges, trade and tourism. The Meeting agreed to facilitate issue of visas and other related matters for the participants at BIMSTEC meetings/events/activities. The Meeting encouraged the member States, inter alia, to conclude visa exemption agreements through bilateral mechanisms and ease visa procedures etc.

The 5th Meeting of the BIMSTEC Expert Group on Visa Matters held on 18-19 November 2025 in Colombo discussed, negotiated and finalized the BIMSTEC Visa Facilitation Scheme  and deliberated on further streamlining visa procedures for businesspersons, officials, and participants involved in BIMSTEC-related activities. The Meeting also reiterated the importance of enhancing mobility within the region in order to strengthen people-to-people connectivity, promote tourism and business exchanges, and support the broader objectives of regional cooperation under BIMSTEC.

iii.    Association of BIMSTEC Speakers and Parliamentarians
The proposed Association of BIMSTEC Speakers and parliamentarians shall be composed of the Speakers and Parliamentarians representing the National Parliaments of the BIMSTEC Member States with the objective of strengthening people-to-people contact and achieving mutual understanding, trust, and friendship among the peoples of the BIMSTEC countries. It further aims to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas and information on parliamentary practices and procedures; support the work of BIMSTEC and promote knowledge of its principles and activities among Parliamentarians of South Asia and South East Asia; encourage representation and participation of women and youth in the Parliaments of BIMSTEC countries to foster sharing of experiences and promote contact among them; create dialogue and communication mechanisms for advancing involvement of women and youth in the decision-making process in the legislatures, and co-operate in international forums in the matters of common interest.
 

The Charter of the Association of BIMSTEC Speakers and Parliamentarians was drafted by India and circulated by the Secretariat to all the Member States for their comments and observations. 

Key Documents
No Documents

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