In their meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Foreign Ministers from BIMSTEC member countries discussed ways to boost regional cooperation. In New Delhi, the focus was on key areas such as connectivity, energy, trade, health, agriculture, science, security, and people-to-people exchanges.
Prime Minister Modi assured Thailand of India’s full support for a successful BIMSTEC Summit. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Union Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita, and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval also attended the meeting.
PM Modi shared his thoughts on X, saying, “Glad to meet BIMSTEC Foreign Ministers. Discussed ways to strengthen regional cooperation, including connectivity, energy, trade, health, agriculture, science, security, and people-to-people exchanges. Conveyed full support to Thailand for a successful Summit.”
The Foreign Ministers gathered in Delhi for a two-day retreat aimed at strengthening cooperation among the Bay of Bengal countries. BIMSTEC includes Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.
During the retreat, Jaishankar welcomed his counterparts and highlighted BIMSTEC’s importance in India’s strategic framework, which includes the Neighbourhood First, Act East Policy, and SAGAR vision. He stressed the need for rapid and effective collaboration in the Bay of Bengal region, which has long held untapped potential.
The minister stated, “BIMSTEC represents the intersection of India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ outlook, the ‘Act East Policy’ and the ‘SAGAR’ vision. Our challenge is to improve and speed up our cooperation. The retreat is an opportunity to exchange ideas openly and productively.” He noted the significance of the retreat in preparing for the upcoming Summit and called for new energy and resources to be dedicated to BIMSTEC cooperation.
He also highlighted the recent implementation of the BIMSTEC Charter on May 20, underscoring the need for regional solutions to global and local challenges. Jaishankar expressed optimism about achieving shared and ambitious goals for BIMSTEC.
The first part of the discussions revolved around enhancing connectivity, building institutions, fostering trade and business cooperation, collaborating in health and space sectors, developing digital infrastructure, and strengthening societal exchanges. The retreat also aimed to prepare strong outcomes for the Summit to be held later in the year.
The inaugural BIMSTEC Foreign Ministers’ Retreat was held in Bangkok on July 17, 2023. This meeting provided a platform for informal discussions on expanding and deepening cooperation in various sectors, including security, connectivity, trade, and people-to-people contacts within the Bay of Bengal region.