Consider the following statements on Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi- sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC): 1. BIMSTEC has seven members - Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myan- mar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand. 2. BIMSTEC provides a link between South Asia and South East Asia by way of economic cooperation and linkages in identified areas of cooperation. 3. BIMSTEC was rechristened as BISTEC in the year 201 4. Select the correct answer using the code given below:

BIMSTEC is a regional organization comprising seven member states: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. It serves as a critical bridge between South Asia and Southeast Asia, facilitating economic cooperation and connectivity across identified sectors. Statement 1 is correct as it accurately lists the current membership. Statement 2 is correct because the grouping links five South Asian nations with two Southeast Asian nations (Myanmar and Thailand), aligning with India's 'Act East' policy . Statement 3 is incorrect; the organization was originally established in 1997 as BIST-EC (Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, and Thailand Economic Cooperation). It was renamed to its current form, the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation, in 2004 following the inclusion of Myanmar (1997) and Nepal and Bhutan (2004). Therefore, only statements 1 and 2 are accurate.

Sources

1. [1] Contemporary World Politics, Textbook in political science for Class XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 3: Contemporary South Asia > India and its Other Neighbours > p. 39