The Full Form of SASEC is‍ South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation.

The South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) program brings together Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, and Sri Lanka in a project-based partnership that aims to promote regional prosperity, improve economic opportunities, and build a better quality of life for the people of the subregion. SASEC countries share a common vision of boosting intraregional trade and cooperation in South Asia, while also developing connectivity and trade with Southeast Asia through Myanmar, to the People’s Republic of China, and the global market.

SASEC Vision

The SASEC Vision, and its supplement, SASEC Vision – Myanmar, articulate shared aspirations of SASEC member countries, and set the path to achieve these through regional collaboration. These documents lay out a plan to transform the subregion by leveraging natural resources, promoting industry linkages for the development of regional value chains, and expanding the region’s trade and commerce through the development of subregional gateways and hubs.

SASEC Operational Plan

The SASEC Operational Plan presents the strategic objectives of the SASEC partnership, and the operational priorities of the four main SASEC sectors—transport, trade facilitation, energy, and economic corridor development. It is supported by a list of potential projects regularly updated by SASEC member countries to be implemented during 2016-2025.

SASEC Projects and Technical Assistance

As of June 2020, SASEC member countries have signed and implemented 61 ADB-financed investment projects worth around $13.58 billion in the transport, trade facilitation, energy, and economic corridor sectors. The transport sector accounts for the most number of projects (41 projects worth a cumulative $11.20 billion), followed by energy (12 projects worth $1.58 billion), economic corridor development (three projects worth $697 million), trade facilitation (three projects worth over $80.66 million), and ICT (two projects worth $20.80 million).