India, April 3 -- Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi is set to attend the twice-postponed Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (Bimstec) Summit in Thailand beginning Friday in the shadow of the devastating earthquake in the region. Bimstec, established in 1997, has significant strategic and economic potential, but it faces several challenges that hinder its effectiveness. Foremost of them is the absence of a strong institutional framework. Unlike say the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), the Bimstec secretariat has limited resources and authority, leading to slow decision-making. No single country has consistently taken the lead in driving Bimstec's agenda: The diverse membership - Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Nepal, and Bhutan - often struggles with setting priorities. Besides, India-China tensions indirectly impact Bimstec: China is not a member but influences Myanmar, Nepal, and Bangladesh. Political instability in Myanmar and regional rivalries have further stalled cooperation....