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?
Explanation:
Statement I is correct as BIMSTEC consists of seven member states (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand). Statement II is incorrect because BIMSTEC was formed with the Bangkok Declaration in 1997, not the Dhaka Declaration in 1999. Statement III is incorrect because Nepal was not a founding member; the original members were Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, and Thailand (BIST-EC). Statement IV is incorrect because Thailand, not India, leads the 'tourism' sub-sector in BIMSTEC. Therefore, only Statement I is correct.