The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is an intergovernmental organization established on 6 June 1997 through the signing of the Declaration on the Establishment of the Bangladesh– India–Sri Lanka–Thailand Economic Cooperation (BIST-EC) in Bangkok by Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. After Myanmar joined in December 1997, the grouping was renamed BIMSTEC (Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand Economic Cooperation).