BIMSTEC NETWORK OF THINK TANKS (BNTT)

The Centre for Studies in International Relations and Development (CSIRD) is an India-based non-profit think-tank working on policy-related issues in international economic relations and development cooperation. One of the thrust areas of CSIRD is regional cooperation in the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) . CSIRD had already taken several initiatives to set up a BIMSTEC Network of Think Tanks (BNTT) . The idea was not only endorsed but highly commended at the BIMSTEC Summit of November 2008. On BNTT, the Summit recorded: “ Agree to augment our efforts to further promote people-to-people contacts among our States and decide that India will take the lead to establish a BIMSTEC Network of Policy Think Tanks. ”

CSIRD has been carrying on projects on international economic relations with special reference to the BIMSTEC region. One of BIMSTEC's aims has been to integrate the Look East Policy of India and Sri Lanka with the Look West policy of Thailand and ASEAN. This way BIMSTEC plays the role of being a vital link between ASEAN and SAARC

BIMSTEC has emerged as one of the fastest growing regions of the world with a growth rate of 8 percent sustained unbroken over the last half a decade but for the recent reverses that surfaced around the late 2007. The proposed BIMSTEC Free Trade Agreement is aimed at further strengthening the region's economic integration. Against this backdrop, the Declaration of the Second BIMSTEC Summit held in New Delhi in 2008 emphasized the need to augment BIMSTEC efforts to promote people-to-people interaction and decided that India had to play a key role in establishing a BIMSTEC Network of Policy Think Tanks. To quote, it declared that BIMSTEC nations “Agree to augment our efforts to further promote people-to-people contacts among our States and decide that India will take the lead to establish a BIMSTEC Network of Policy Think Tanks.” CSIRD has developed an e-platform at www.bntt.org, with active participation of BIMSTEC Think Tanks. On the eve of the Second BIMSTEC Summit, CSIRD published BIMSTEC Cooperation Report 2008 that once more highlighted the vast potential of regional cooperation. The report also deals with the prospects and growth-potential of individual member countries and newer areas of cooperation in economic affairs, tourism, infrastructure, etc between them and also with the rest of the world.

CSIRD aims to further raise the quality and the span of research and analytical studies in inter- and intra-regional trade, education, tourism and infrastructure. Side by side with measures to rev up the existing research capacity, BNTT also aims at augmenting additional capacity through regional research projects, enhanced research disseminations, increased interactions between policy makers and research scholars, and developing the existing as well as fresh additional capacity with inputs from, and participation of, BIMSTEC countries and also ASEAN and SAARC. CSIRD is geared to playing a proactive role in developing BNTT into a platform of highest quality research on matters directly as well as indirectly impacting this region. To achieve these objectives, CSIRD plans to adopt a three-pronged approach:

Research

It would like BNTT to produce high quality research studies and analyses on international economic issues with special emphasis on intra-BIMSTEC trade and investment, education, tourism and infrastructure. It seeks to intensify multi-institutional and multi-dimensional research studies on regional integration in BIMSTEC. The research papers and analytical studies will be regularly presented at annual conferences and also at other international forums.

Conference

To share the findings of research works, BNTT will organize an annual conference in BIMSTEC member countries by rotation. The conference proceedings will be published later on for dissemination among a wider audience.

Dissemination

BNTT will maintain a dedicated website that, among other things, will have regional economic and other relevant database, and e-publish series of working papers, policy briefs, a newsletter, and other publications. The newsletter and other publications will also be made available in the website for immediate and free access by policy makers and research workers.

Network Structure

BNTT will act as a formal network of research and academic institutions with special reference to international and regional economic issues. The overall idea is to strengthen intra-BIMSTEC partnership and integration under the overall guidance of the BIMSTEC Centre and the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India. It would also act as a clearing house for exchange of research activities between BIMSTEC member countries and the research and academic institutions in ASEAN and SAARC.