BIMSTEC is an international organization which involves a group of countries in South Asia and South East Asia (SEA).

• In 1997, prior to joining of Myanmar as a full member in grouping of ‘BIMST-EC’ it was named as the ‘BIST-EC’.
• The BIST-EC (Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, and Thailand Economic Cooperation) was initiated in 1997 itself and was encouraged by India’s Look East Policy (LEP) and Thailand’s Look West Policy it was Initiated.
• In 2004 Nepal and Bhutan became its members and the grouping was again renamed, now as the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC).
• It comprises of primarily seven countries, those lying in littoral and adjacent areas of Bay of Bengal which includes India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar and Thailand.

India has invited the leaders of The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Member States for the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.