Consider the following statements in respect of BIMSTEC:
I. It is a regional organization consisting of seven member States till January 2025.
II. It came into existence with the signing of the Dhaka Declaration, 1999.
III. Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Nepal are founding member States of BIMSTEC.
IV. In BIMSTEC, the subsector of tourism is being led by India.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
✅ Statement I: Correct
*BIMSTEC currently has seven members: Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Nepal, and Bhutan.* ❌ Statement II: Incorrect
*BIMSTEC was established by the Bangkok Declaration in 1997, not the Dhaka Declaration in 1999.* ❌ Statement III: Incorrect
*Founding members were Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Myanmar; Nepal and Bhutan joined later.* ❌ Statement IV: Incorrect
*Nepal leads tourism subsector, not India; India leads sectors like Counter-Terrorism and Energy.* Correct Answer: Only Statement I is correct.