SaptaSur 2025: BIMSTEC’s First-Ever Traditional Music Festival Begins in Delhi

SaptaSur festival showcases the rich musical traditions of BIMSTEC countries, reinforcing India's Act East and Neighbourhood First policies.

The first-ever BIMSTEC Traditional Music Festival is set to take place on 4 August 2025 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, marking a significant cultural milestone in regional cooperation. Organized by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), the festival—titled ‘SaptaSur: Seven Nations, One Melody’—will celebrate the rich and diverse musical traditions of the seven BIMSTEC member countries: India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.

The event will be inaugurated by External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar and is open to the public, with seating available on a first-come, first-served basis from 6:00 PM onwards. This initiative stems from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s commitment, made during the 6th BIMSTEC Summit in Thailand in April 2025, to strengthen regional cultural ties through music and shared heritage.

The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) was established in 1997 through the signing of the Bangkok Declaration. Initially comprising four countries—Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, and Thailand—the organization was originally known as BIST-EC. It later expanded to include Bhutan, Myanmar, and Nepal, bringing the total to seven member states.

The permanent Secretariat of BIMSTEC is located in Dhaka, Bangladesh. A major step in the institutional evolution of the organization came with the adoption of the BIMSTEC Charter during the 5th Summit in Sri Lanka in 2022, which conferred legal personality on the grouping and paved the way for external partnerships and the potential inclusion of new members and observers.

BIMSTEC is structured around seven priority areas, each led by a member country:

1. Trade & Investment – Led by Bangladesh

2. Environment & Climate Change – Led by Bhutan

3. People-to-People Contact – Led by Nepal

4. Agriculture & Food Security – Led by Myanmar

5. Science, Technology & Innovation – Led by Sri Lanka

6. Connectivity – Led by Thailand

7. Security – Led by India

   • Sub-sectors under Security:

     • Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Crime

     • Disaster Management

     • Energy Security

These priority areas aim to promote economic development, social progress, and regional peace and stability in the Bay of Bengal region.

BIMSTEC aligns well with India’s foreign policy objectives, particularly as a functional alternative to SAARC, which has been hindered by India-Pakistan tensions. Unlike SAARC, BIMSTEC excludes Pakistan, allowing India to pursue regional cooperation without geopolitical roadblocks. The organization complements India’s ‘Act East’ and ‘Neighbourhood First’ policies and supports its ambitions in the Indo-Pacific, consistent with frameworks like QUAD. BIMSTEC also serves as a strategic bridge between South Asia and Southeast Asia, especially through members like Thailand and Myanmar, both of which are part of ASEAN. This connectivity allows India to integrate continental and maritime Asia within a broader Indo-Pacific vision.

In terms of regional economic interests, BIMSTEC supports India’s Blue Economy and maritime security goals in the Bay of Bengal, aligning with national strategies like SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) and MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions). Additionally, through initiatives like the BIMSTEC Master Plan for Transport Connectivity, the grouping promotes infrastructure, energy, and transport integration, supporting regional development and deeper interdependence.

Despite its strategic promise, BIMSTEC faces several challenges. Progress has been slow and uneven, with only six summits held in 27 years, and its Charter adopted more than two decades after its inception. The Secretariat, established in 2011, continues to suffer from insufficient financial and manpower resources. Geopolitical pressures, particularly China’s growing influence via the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in nearly all BIMSTEC member states except India and Bhutan, pose strategic concerns for India. Intra-regional trade remains modest, accounting for only about 6–7% of total trade, reflecting low economic integration. The proposed BIMSTEC Free Trade Agreement (FTA), initiated in 2004, remains unimplemented, stalling trade liberalization efforts.

Connectivity deficits further hinder integration, with major projects like the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway and the Bangladesh-Bhutan-India-Nepal (BBIN) Motor Vehicles Agreement facing significant delays. Additionally, internal political instability in countries like Myanmar, Nepal, and Sri Lanka diverts attention from regional cooperation. Bilateral tensions, such as Bangladesh-Myanmar disputes over the Rohingya refugee crisis and India-Nepal border issues, also impact collective progress.

In conclusion, while BIMSTEC faces structural and geopolitical hurdles, it remains a pragmatic and forward-looking platform that serves India’s strategic interests more effectively than SAARC. As India increasingly pivots toward subregional and transregional frameworks, BIMSTEC offers a credible route to deepen economic, cultural, and strategic ties in the Bay of Bengal and beyond, reinforcing India’s leadership role in shaping a cooperative and secure Indo-Pacific region.

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