Thinking Aloud: Volume VIII, Issue 11: April 1, 2022

The April 2022 issue of Thinking Aloud focuses on “Rejuvenating BIMSTEC in a New Era”. The first page article titled “Rejuvenating BIMSTEC in a New Era” emphasises the necessity of fresh thinking on BIMSTEC’s priorities and developing the required institutional capability for the new era. Though the progress in regional integration in the BIMSTEC, even after the 25 years of BIMSTEC, has remained slow, the successful implementation of the agreements of the 5th Summit can pave the way for the hugely aspired greater integration in the BIMSTEC region. The second and third pages of this issue feature the sessions of the Second Bay of Bengal Economic Dialogue 2022, which was hosted virtually, on 11-12 March 2022. Convened on the theme of “Building Resilient BIMSTEC”, in continuation of the spirit of the First Bay of Bengal Economic Dialogue 2021, the second dialogue brought together academicians, development experts and policymakers of the Bay of Bengal region on a common platform for scholarly exchange. The dialogue was organised by SANEM, in collaboration with ASEAN-India Centre (AIC), RIS, India; South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE), http://premier-pharmacy.com/product/cialis/ Nepal; Indian Studies Center (ISC) of Chulalongkorn University, Thailand; Pathfinder Foundation, Sri Lanka and Centre for Research on Bhutanese Society (CRBS), Bhutan. The dialogue hosted three organised sessions, one special session and one keynote session. In the inaugural session, the speakers emphasised on the need for bolstering multipartite collaboration in the region. In the Keynote Session, the historical context of the BIMSTEC framework and its potential was explored. During the special session on “Post-COVID Challenges and Opportunities”, the magnitude of COVID-induced economic impact on the regional economies was underscored. The organised session on “Infrastructure Connectivity in Bay of Bengal Region” reflected on the prospects of cross-border trade infrastructure. The organised session on “People to People Contacts” focused on the need to build strong social and cultural ties across the region. The third organised session on the theme of “Trade and Investment”, extrapolated the dominant tendency of trade and investment in the region. Committing to the continuation of the dialogue, a summary of the discussions held was read out in the closing session, showcased on the fourth page of this issue.