The evolving geopolitical dynamics across South Asia and the wider Indo-Pacific demand a comprehensive re-evaluation of regional connectivity, supply chain resilience, and cross-border commercial architecture. The Center for Policy, Research & Innovation (CPRI) is convening this high-level policy roundtable to assess the structural bottlenecks, institutional friction, and strategic economic potential of the Bay of Bengal corridor.
Despite shared maritime borders and historic trade links, South Asia remains one of the least economically integrated regions globally, with intra-regional commerce accounting for less than six percent of total trade. This symposium brings together regional economic planners, trade diplomats, institutional economists, port terminal authorities, and cross-border logistics operators to bridge the gap between empirical economic modeling and actionable governance.
Distinguished Keynote Speakers
Prof. Selina Akhtar
Chair of Development Economics
University of Dhaka
Dr. Farhan Al-Mahmood
Senior Fellow
CPRI
Amb. Tariq R. Chowdhury
Former Diplomatic Envoy
Geoeconomics Advisor
Key Thematic Focus Areas:
- Multimodal Infrastructure Integration: Assessing the long-term economic yield and logistical viability of inland waterways, deep-sea container terminals, and integrated railway links connecting coastal economic zones with landlocked sub-regions.
- Trade Modernization & Customs Digitization: Designing pragmatic institutional roadmaps for single-window digital clearance, harmonized sanitary standards, and paperless cross-border trade settlements.
- Macroeconomic Resilience & Value Chain Realignment: Mitigating trade-diversion vulnerabilities, fostering industrial cluster co-location, and exploring regional currency-swap frameworks to cushion against external balance-of-payments volatility.
Program Structure & Outcomes:
The symposium opens with an empirical plenary briefing presenting quantitative tariff elasticity models and logistics cost benchmarking across regional transit hubs. Following the plenary, participants will join two specialized working groups focusing on cross-border energy grid interconnectivity and industrial supply chain integration.
The proceedings will culminate in the drafting of an actionable Policy Communiqué, scheduled for formal submission to national ministries of commerce, planning commissions, and regional multilateral bodies. Registered participants will receive access to full data packages, working papers, and post-session policy briefs.