How are we seeing the BIMSTEC Summit organized in Nepal? I see there are four categories of people who see the Summit going to be held.
First, inside people feel the trouble and pain due to disruption of daily activities due to the trail of arrivals within the Kathmandu city.
Second, inside people are worrying about their taxes being wasted in the inconvenient painting over the muddy (
Third, the people are viewing this summit as an opportunity to consolidate the purpose searching by the governments with the potential of opportunities for future of mutual cooperation in economic, cultural, and connectivity through ICT, and Transportation. Whatsoever the implementation of the declaration of the previous meeting of BIMSTEC, the regional cooperation that envisions by the member states of nations; Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, India, and Bhutan, though being delayed for the myriad of reasons, the continuation is the key priority. The interests of regional investments, tourism development and bilateral cooperation in trade and ICT in connectivity as well to Nepal with among other member states of BIMSTEC which Nepal has been trying to emphasize to its neighbour countries, especially Bangladesh, and India over a period of times in its difficulty for searching sea route and other cooperations.
Nepal envisions to use the Indian ocean route via from Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Myanmar to Thailand destinations for the benefits of trade and connectivity. Furthermore, India is promoting “Buddha Marg” in which Nepal’s Lumbini being the birthplace of Buddha – Nepal wants to connect the Lumbini itself with international core Pilgrims site visit for Buddhists, as except in Bangladesh, all other member states have people faith in Buddhism.
Fourth, People especially outside of BIMSTEC summit’s member states, due to since Pakistan not in the meeting, It’s the India strategy to boycott the uncooperative Pakistan that made SAARC not active.
Whatsoever the reasons, in this context of global and regional cooperation, this BIMSTEC is not the option of SAARC rather it’s the expansion of SAARC in my view. Pakistan recently has a new elected Prime Ministerial government which may also willing to join the BIMSTEC in future as it also may want to take benefits of technical and economic cooperation with connectivity to Pakistan.
