Thailand: BIMSTEC meeting begins in Bangkok

The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Foreign Ministers’ Retreat began in Thailand capital city Bangkok on Monday.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankaris who is on a six-day visit to two nations that began from July 12 posted a tweet this morning.

"Just started the BIMSTEC meeting in Bangkok," EAM Jaishankar tweeted.

BIMSTEC is an economic and technical initiative which brings together the countries of the Bay of Bengal for multifaceted cooperation. The retreat would discuss ways to further deepen the BIMSTEC agenda and strengthen the organisation.

The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is a regional multilateral organisation.

Its members lie in the littoral and adjacent areas of the Bay of Bengal constituting a contiguous regional unity.

BIMSTEC not only connects South and Southeast Asia but also the ecologies of the Great Himalayas and the Bay of Bengal.

It mainly aims to create an enabling environment for rapid economic development; accelerate social progress; and promote collaboration on matters of common interest in the region.

In Jakarta, the EAM attended the Foreign Ministers’ Meetings under the ASEAN framework in the format, ASEAN-India, East Asia Summit and ASEAN Regional Forum on July 13-14.

Jaishankar also held bilateral meetings with his counterparts from other countries. India’s engagement with this ASEAN-centered regional architecture signifies India’s strong commitment to ASEAN centrality in the Indo-Pacific.

From Indonesia, he travelled to Bangkok to participate in the 12th Foreign Ministers’ Meeting of Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC) Mechanism on July 16.

MGC is one of the oldest mechanisms of the lower Mekong region and is guided by India’s Act East Policy.​

Earlier this month, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Secretary East Saurabh Kumar, and Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen held in-depth consultations on BIMSTEC) issues in Dhaka.

"They reviewed the recent significant progress in regional cooperation under BIMSTEC and steps taken to strengthen its institutional framework. Also discussed ways to further deepen the BIMSTEC cooperation agenda and forthcoming events," MEA Official Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi had tweeted.

Bagchi wrote: "India looks at Bangladesh as a key driver of the BIMSTEC process and appreciates its constructive role including as host to BIMSTEC Secretariat."

In March 2023, Minister of State for External Affairs S Jaishankar participated in the 19th BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting virtually from Bangkok.

During the meeting, the Ministers approved several documents including rules of Procedure for Core BIMSTEC Mechanisms. The meeting also approved the draft Host Country Agreement between India and the BIMSTEC Secretariat for establishing BIMSTEC Centre for Weather and Climate in India.