BIMSTEC Pact to Make Bay of Bengal Global Trade Hub: Sonowal

• Sonowal urges speedy AMTC ratification at BIMSTEC Ports Conclave.

• BIMSTEC Maritime Centre to be set up in Mumbai for digital, green growth.

• Kaladan Project pitched as key to India’s Northeast-Bay connectivity.

GG News Bureau
Visakhapatnam, 14th July: Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal on Monday inaugurated the 2nd BIMSTEC Ports Conclave in Visakhapatnam, unveiling a strategic vision to transform the Bay of Bengal into a hub for global trade, cruise tourism, and sustainable maritime development.

Highlighting India’s “Neighbourhood First” and “Act East” policies, Sonowal called for deeper port-led collaboration among the seven BIMSTEC member nations—Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand—through the BIMSTEC Maritime Transport Cooperation Agreement (AMTC). India was the first to ratify the AMTC and urged others to follow suit.

“Through joint feasibility studies, PPPs, and skill development, we can create a seamless and efficient network of ports,” Sonowal said, adding that the Bay of Bengal’s blue economy holds vast untapped potential.

He announced the establishment of a BIMSTEC Sustainable Maritime Transport Centre in Powai, Mumbai, under the Indian Ocean Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Maritime Transport, to operationalise the AMTC and lead policy harmonisation, green innovation, and digital maritime transformation.

The two-day conclave features sessions on port-linked industrial zones, customs integration, cruise tourism, and public-private partnerships. A key highlight was discussion on the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Project, linking India’s Northeast to the Bay, as a blueprint for seamless regional connectivity.

Union Minister of State Shantanu Thakur echoed Sonowal’s vision, stating, “BIMSTEC’s roadmap lays the foundation for a resilient maritime future driven by connectivity, sustainability, and shared prosperity.”

The event brought together 28 delegates from member nations, senior government officials, port authorities, industry stakeholders, and maritime scholars.