BACKGROUND

The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is a regional collaboration of seven Member States i.e. Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, from South Asia and Myanmar and Thailand from South East Asia. This Cooperation came into existence on 6th June, 1997 through the Bangkok declaration and provides a platform for reinforcement of relations among Member States and establishing Inter-Regional Cooperation among South & South East Asian Countries.

The BIMSTEC region is home to around 1.5 billion people which constitute around 22% of the global population with a combined gross domestic product (GDP) of $2.7 trillion. This region is host to almost all kinds of natural hazards. The severity and frequency of climate and weather related hazards seem to be increasing. Combined with this unplanned urbanization, population growth and environmental degradation are creating new vulnerabilities. Importantly, many countries in the region share common geological formations, river basins and natural hazards. Countries in the region have common vulnerability to Geological, Hydrological and Climatological disasters. Countries in the region have undertaken several initiatives in recent years to institutionalize and strengthen regional cooperation in the area of disaster risk management.

The first BIMSTEC DMEx-2017 was conducted in October 10-13, 2017 in Delhi and National Capital Region and comprised of a Table Top Exercise (TTX), Field Training Exercises (FTXs) on Earthquake and Flood and an After Action Review (AAR). All seven Member States participated in the four-day Joint Exercise.

During the 4th BIMSTEC summit at Kathmandu, in August 2018, Hon'able prime minister of India, proposed to host 2nd BIMSTEC disaster managment exercise and the expert group meeting of NDMAs/NDMOs of BIMSTEC nations in 2019-20 in India.