Consider the following statements in respect of BIMSTEC : I. It is a regional organization consisting of seven member States till January 2025. II. It came into existence with the signing of the Dhaka Declaration, 1999. III. Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Nepal are founding member States of BIMSTEC. IV. In BIMSTEC, the subsector of ‘tourism’ is being led by India. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. A. I and II
2. B. II and III
3. C. I and IV
4. D. I only

Answer: D

Explanation

Statement I is correct. BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) consists of seven member states: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. This membership has remained constant till January 2025. Statement II is incorrect. BIMSTEC came into existence with the signing of the Bangkok Declaration on June 6, 1997, not the Dhaka Declaration in 1999. Statement III is incorrect. The founding members of BIMSTEC (initially BIST-EC) were Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. Myanmar joined in 1997, and Bhutan and Nepal joined in 2004. Nepal was not a founding member. Statement IV is incorrect. While India leads the Security sector (including Counter-Terrorism, Disaster Management, and Energy), Nepal is the lead country for the ‘People-to-People Contact’ sector, which includes tourism. Therefore, only statement I is correct. Regional groupings like BIMSTEC are important for UPSC International Relations, especially concerning India’s neighborhood policy and regional cooperation.