PM Modi lauds the BIMSTEC as an engine of growth in the region

Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded the role of the BIMSTEC(Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) in furthering and deepening economic and social growth.

The Prime Minister also supported Thailand's hosting of the 6th BIMSTEC Summit Meeting in September 2024.

He said this after meeting the foreign ministers of the BIMSTEC member states- India, Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Myanmar on 12 July 2024. 

The foreign ministers were in India to attend the 2nd BIMSTEC Foreign Minister’s Retreat.

2nd BIMSTEC Foreign Minister’s Retreat 

The 2nd BIMSTEC Foreign Minister’s  Retreat (meeting) was held in New Delhi on 11 and 12 July 2024.

Bangkok, Thailand, hosted the first BIMSTEC Foreign Minister’s Retreat in 2023.

The Foreign Minister’s Retreat was organised by the Ministry of External Affairs and hosted by the Minister for External Affairs, Dr. S. Jaishankar.

The Retreat provided an opportunity for the foreign ministers of the member countries to discuss issues of mutual interest in an informal setting to broaden cooperation across various sectors including in the fields of trade and investment, people to people contacts, security, connectivity, etc in the Bay of Bengal region.

About BIMSTEC

• The BIMSTEC(Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation)   was founded on 6 June 1997 as BIST-EC (Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka and Thailand Economic Cooperation).
• With the joining of Myanmar on 22 December 1997, the organisation's name was changed to BIMSTEC.
• BIMSTEC includes the littoral and adjoining countries of the Bay of Bengal. At present, it has seven members: India, Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Myanmar.
• The BIMSTEC  focuses on deepening the trade and economic ties amongst the member countries and promotion of people-to-people contact etc.

Secretariat: Dhaka, Bangladesh 

Secretary General - Indra Mani Pandey (Indian Citizen)

Summit Meeting of BIMSTEC 

The summit meeting is the organisation's highest decision-making meeting, where the top leaders of the member countries attend. India is represented by the Prime Minister.

• 1st Summit held in  Bangkok, Thailand in 2004
• 2nd in New Delhi in 2008
• 3rd  in Naypyidaw, Myanmar, in 2014
• 4th in Kathmandu, Nepal, in 2018
• 5th was  a virtual meeting hosted by Sri Lanka in 2022
• 6th summit meeting will be hosted by Thailand in 2024.