Thailand is the Lead Country for the Connectivity Sector.

Connectivity has been a cornerstone of BIMSTEC cooperation since the organization’s founding in 1997. As one of its seven core sectors, it plays a vital role in fostering regional collaboration and driving economic growth and social development across member states.

A robust network spanning road, rail, air, and maritime transport is essential to unlocking the region’s full potential — enabling trade, boosting investment, deepening people-to-people ties, and expanding opportunities in tourism and cultural exchange.

Guiding the Way Forward

Progress in this sector is shaped by the BIMSTEC Master Plan for Transport Connectivity (2018–2028) — a comprehensive 10-year strategy and action plan developed with support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB). Formally adopted at the Fifth BIMSTEC Summit in Colombo, Sri Lanka on 30 March 2022, the Master Plan serves as the primary framework for strengthening transport links across the region.

A Major Milestone

A significant step forward was achieved on 3 April 2025, during the 6th BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok, Thailand — with the signing of the Agreement on Maritime Transport Cooperation (AMTC). This landmark agreement is designed to promote efficient, reliable maritime transport services, facilitate trade, and strengthen regional economic integration among BIMSTEC member states.
 

Institutional Mechanism 

Implementation and coordination of activities under this sector are carried forward through two dedicated mechanisms: the BIMSTEC Transport Connectivity Working Group (BTCWG), which oversees initiatives related to transport infrastructure and linkages, and the Working Group to negotiate the Draft Text of the BIMSTEC Motor Vehicles Agreement (WG-MVA), which focuses on facilitating cross-border movement of passenger, personal, and cargo vehicular traffic among Member States

Adoption Procedure

Outcomes from the Connectivity Sector — including reports, negotiated texts, and finalized agreements — follow a structured approval process. These documents are first reviewed by the BIMSTEC Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM), and then submitted to the BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting (MM) for formal endorsement or approval.
Finally, the BIMSTEC Summit, the apex body of the BIMSTEC institutional mechanism, adopts the documents.
 

BIMSTEC Master Plan for Transport Connectivity

The BIMSTEC Master Plan for Transport Connectivity presents a comprehensive 10-year strategy (2018–2028) and action plan supported by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for improving the subregion’s transport linkages covering:

1.    Roads and road transport 
2.    Railways and rail transport 
3.    Ports and maritime transport 
4.    Inland water transport 
5.    Civil aviation and airports 
6.    Multimodal and intermodal transport 
7.    Trade facilitation 
8.    Human resource development in the Connectivity Sector

 
The implementation of the BIMSTEC Master Plan for Transport Connectivity remains a priority for Member States, given the critical importance of connectivity in promoting regional integration, trade facilitation, and sustainable economic development.
 

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