BBIN Full Form

BBIN Full Form

Edited By Team Careers360 | Updated on Apr 28, 2023 03:55 PM IST

What is the full form of BBIN?

The full form of BBIN is the Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and Nepal.The Motor Vehicles Agreement (MVA) between Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and Nepal (BBIN) intends to ease the smooth movement of passenger, personal, and freight vehicular traffic between and among the BBIN nations. Bangladesh, India, and Nepal met to discuss the passenger and cargo procedures needed to put the BBIN Motor Vehicles Agreement (MVA) into action. Bhutan attended the meeting as an observer. Themes for aspirants.BBIN meets through the official representation of member states to develop, implement, and review quadrilateral agreements in areas such as water resource management, power, transportation, and infrastructure connectivity.

This Story also Contains
  1. What is the full form of BBIN?
  2. 1. About of BBIN
  3. 2. The importance of BBIN
  4. 3. Need for BBIN
  5. 4. Recent Development
BBIN Full Form
BBIN Full Form

1. About of BBIN

Because of the economic interconnection evidenced by "growth triangles" across Asia and the hitherto unheeded concerns of eastern subcontinent states, its Council of Ministers endorsed the formation of the South Asian Growth Quadrangle in May 1996. (SAGQ). A year later, at the Malé summit, it was agreed to coordinate efforts aimed at "the special individual needs of three or more Member States," and formalised procedures aimed at developing intra-regional trade and investment, tourism, communication, and energy resources in the subcontinent's northeast.

Collaboration in specific areas was aimed to channel growth and complementary. Because the mechanism functioned through specialized initiatives, constituent members attempted to integrate without necessitating changes to larger policy or governance processes. It aimed to unlock the sub region's latent socioeconomic potential by using divergent stages of development to complement one another. Member state borders are within 50 kilometers of Siliguri, therefore, contiguous customs, culture, and lifestyle among residents highlight the need for an integrated market.

Power trading between naturally abundant and energy-scarce areas was given special attention to address the impact of shortages on industrial production, reverse consequently depressed rates of growth, reduce transmission and distribution losses through interconnected grids, and provide needed revenue for upstream nations with a negative balance of payments. However, in the absence of a coordinated campaign to reduce obstacles, the benefits of such commerce remain untapped.

Over time, its goals grew to include land and port links. The procurement of money for this purpose was reviewed at ADB headquarters in Manila, where the South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) Program was completed under the auspices of ADB in March 2001. The organisation attempted to achieve economic synergy through trade corridors and cross-border projects. For example, there are rail, highway, and marine corridors connecting West Bengal and distant northeastern provinces through Bangladesh, as well as north-south transit routes connecting Nepal, Bhutan, and Indian hill states to northern Bay of Bengal ports. These networks would then connect superfluous regions throughout member nations and further east.

The membership of the Maldives and Sri Lanka in SASEC in March 2014 appears to have swallowed or rendered inactive conceptions of quadripartite integration. Informal conversations resulted in fresh agreement on subregional ties outside of bilateral accords, due in part to the persistent failure of existing structures. A land transport agreement was endorsed by regional governments during a summit in Kathmandu in November 2014, except for one country's objections, which caused it to fall through. The Summit Declaration that followed highlighted sub-regional actions as contributing to greater connectivity. Following that, a framework for cooperation was established, with the first quaternary Joint Working Group (JWG) meeting in January 2015.

2. The importance of BBIN

The agreement was made "for the Regulation of Passenger, Personal, and Cargo Vehicular Traffic between Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and Nepal, as well as to stimulate economic growth in the region." The BBIN agreement will promote safe, cost-effective, and ecologically sound road transportation in the sub-region, as well as assist each nation in developing an institutional system for regional integration. Mutual cross-border movement of passengers and products will help BBIN nations and the region's general economic development.

The smooth flow of products and travellers across borders would benefit the citizens of the four nations.

3. Need for BBIN

The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) has been unable to realise its full potential because crucial projects, notably in the critical issue of connectivity, have been stymied by Pakistan's obstructionist stance.

• The SAARC Regional Railways Agreement and the SAARC Motor Vehicle Agreement, both aimed at boosting cross-border and regional connectivity, have yet to be finalised due to a lack of reaction from Pakistan.

• The Indian government has pursued sub-regional initiatives to improve connectivity in the region.

• The Indian government anticipates that regional cooperation will advance through the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) and the Bay of Bengal Information Network (BBIN).

• Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and Nepal signed the Sub-Regional Motor Vehicle Agreement to improve connectivity.

4. Recent Development

In 2016, India authorised $1.08 billion for the building and improvement of 558 kilometres (347 miles) of roads connecting Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal. The Asian Development Bank will fund half of the project. The project is scheduled to be completed in 2018. This project is expected to increase regional trade by 60% while decreasing trade with the rest of the world by 30%.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. When was BBIN started?

The BBIN accord was signed on June 15, 2015, in Thimphu, Bhutan, to improve the cross-border movement of passengers and freight through Nepal.

2. What is an MVA Agreement?

Despite these lofty expectations, nothing has been done to put the agreement into action throughout the years. Multiple hurdles have arisen in this project, including issues with existing infrastructure and a lack of a timely attitude when implementing this project. To foster regional economic integration, existing infrastructure must be used to its full potential. Probably, the MVA's full economic potential will not be realised due to the sluggishness with which it was implemented. The subregion must recognise that the MVA has the potential to improve the cross-country mobility of cargo and passenger vehicles while also opening up new development opportunities. While taking this agreement forward, new avenues for supply chain growth and intermodal/multimodal logistics services should be explored. The agreement's implementation has also gone through several stages, including trial runs of transportation routes and vehicles. Furthermore, cars travelling on predetermined routes necessitate transportation service facilities such as rest stops, gas stations, and any other amenities required by both crew members and automobiles. The MVA covers all of these factors in its various parts.

3. What is the disadvantage of BBIN?

One major disadvantage of multilateral accords is the coordination required and nations' failure to satisfy that demand. Meetings, discussions, and forums, as well as their practical execution, are required for these agreements to work. Another critical aspect of this accord is its political component. This alliance will also serve as a deterrent to China's expanding influence in the area,and  a strong front for sub-regional South-Asian unification. However, these nations' motives must be strong for this agreement to be implemented. The lack of trust between these countries is an additional impediment to the implementation of this agreement. The history of the India-Bangladesh border, the current schism in India-Nepal ties that resulted from Nepal's territorial claims, and other small but numerous concerns create a breach in the harmony of these processes. It is difficult for these countries to overcome these political and historical hurdles to collaborate on a project that would benefit all participating countries but is being delayed owing to poor diplomacy. Furthermore, diplomacy may play an important role in enhancing international relations. It has room for development to help regional interactions. Misconceptions caused by previous events cannot be altered, but they may be improved. Conflicts and tensions are caused not just by historical events, but also by the polarization of countries' interests today. Another barrier was Bhutan's refusal to ratify the agreement because it feared it would harm the local transportation business. China's BRI programme aspires to connect South Asian countries as well, which will be a competitive aspect of this regional endeavour. China's approach to these nations may put them in a bind, requiring them to weigh the costs and benefits of both deals. All of these problems have hampered significant regional progress in South Asia, which can only be achieved when these nations take the first step toward independence and incorporate regional cooperation as an integral component of their diplomacy, projects, and policies.

4. Which country has not yet ratified the BBIN motor vehicle agreement?

The South Asian group BBIN met to discuss the Motor Vehicles Agreement to improve regional connectivity. During the conference, an enabling MOU was agreed upon for India, Bangladesh, and Nepal to sign for the three countries to execute the BBIN MVA, pending approval of the MVA by Bhutan. Recalling the highest-level promises made for the execution of the BBIN MVA, the delegates expressed a wish to sign the MoU as soon as possible to lend impetus to its implementation. The nations highlighted the significance of quickly putting the BBIN MVA into action to facilitate commerce and people-to-people communication. By completing the passenger and cargo protocols, the MVA will be operationalized, allowing the BBIN nations to enjoy the full potential of commerce and people-to-people connection by encouraging more sub-regional collaboration. The delegates agreed on precise measures and timetables for quickly finalising the passenger and cargo protocols for the BBIN MVA implementation. The Asian Development Bank supplied the gathering with technical and expert assistance.

5. What is the BBIN connectivity project?

The idea for the initiative arose after the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) failed to reach an agreement on a regional motor vehicle accord at a summit in Nepal in 2014, owing mostly to objections from Pakistan.

6. What is the concept and composition of BBIN?

Representatives explore avenues of cooperation, exchange experiences and best practices, review data-sharing arrangements for disaster forecasting and mitigation, and strengthen transit facilitation measures such as shared border stations on key routes and harmonised customs procedures through regular JWG sessions. The emphasis on "connectivity" also includes shared access to road, rail, air, and port facilities, as well as ease of travel. To that purpose, a subregional motor vehicle agreement approved in Thimphu would allow buses and eventually private automobiles with BBIN licences to drive freely across borders. Although clearly for commercial purposes, the diplomatic weight afforded to this arrangement over alternatives in an area regarded as the least connected was perceived to imply a purpose beyond intertwined business.

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