The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is a regional organisation linking countries around the Bay of Bengal. Which one of the following countries is not a member of BIMSTEC?

Introduction / Context:
BIMSTEC is an important regional grouping that links South Asia and Southeast Asia around the Bay of Bengal. It focuses on technical and economic cooperation in areas such as trade, connectivity, energy, and counter terrorism. For competitive exams, it is common to ask either for the full membership list or to test which country is not a member. This question follows the second pattern and uses Pakistan as a potential trap, since Pakistan is part of SAARC but not BIMSTEC.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- The organisation in question is BIMSTEC.- Options list Thailand, Myanmar, India, and Pakistan.- We must identify which country does not belong to BIMSTEC.- We assume the standard membership list adopted by the organisation.

Concept / Approach:
BIMSTEC has seven member states. These are Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. All of them either border the Bay of Bengal or have strong economic and strategic interests in the region. Pakistan is not part of this grouping; instead, it is a founding member of SAARC. Therefore, by comparing the list of members with the given options, we can select the non member correctly.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall or write down the seven BIMSTEC members: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.Step 2: Match each option with this list. India appears in the list, so it is a member.Step 3: Thailand is also one of the founding members of BIMSTEC and is clearly part of the organisation.Step 4: Myanmar is a key link between South Asia and Southeast Asia in this grouping and is also a member.Step 5: Pakistan does not appear in the BIMSTEC membership list; it belongs to SAARC, not BIMSTEC. So Pakistan is the non member country that the question is asking about.

Verification / Alternative Check:
Any reliable description of BIMSTEC mentions seven member countries and omits Pakistan. In many current affairs notes, BIMSTEC is described as an India centric grouping that includes most Bay of Bengal littoral states but not Pakistan. This political context also helps confirm that Pakistan is correctly identified as the non member here.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Thailand: A founding member of BIMSTEC, representing Southeast Asia and playing an active role.Myanmar: Serves as a geographical and strategic bridge in the grouping and is definitely a member.India: One of the core members and a driving force behind BIMSTEC initiatives.

Common Pitfalls:
Candidates sometimes assume that if a country is in SAARC it might also be in BIMSTEC, which leads them to misclassify Pakistan. Others misremember the list by adding countries like Maldives or Afghanistan, which are not part of BIMSTEC. A helpful memory aid is that BIMSTEC connects five South Asian countries (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka) with two Southeast Asian countries (Myanmar, Thailand), and Pakistan is absent from this set.

Final Answer:
Pakistan is not a member of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC).