The 2nd Retreat of the Foreign Ministers of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation(BIMSTEC) was held in New Delhi, on July 11-12, 2024. The Retreat was hosted by External Affairs Minister of India, H.E. Dr. S. Jaishankar, with participation of Foreign Ministers of Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar and Thailand as well as State Minister of Sri Lanka and Foreign Secretary of Nepal.
The Retreat was organized in two segments. During the 1st segment, the Retreat reviewed the regional cooperation within the BIMSTEC framework which was based on a presentation by India on implementation of the key outcomes of the 1st Retreat, highlighting specific proposals of India in this regard. During the discussion, a number of ideas and initiatives were shared by the member States. The second segment focused on possible outcomes of the 6th BIMSTEC Summit, which is scheduled to be held in September, 2024.
After their Retreat, Foreign Ministers made a joint call on Prime Minister of India, H.E. Narendra Modi. They discussed the ways and means for further strengthening regional cooperation in diverse areas. Prime Minister Modi underscored the role of BIMSTEC as an engine for economic and social growth in the region and stressed the critical importance of connectivity in regional integration. He reaffirmed India’s commitment to a peaceful, prosperous, resilient and secure BIMSTEC region.
The mechanism of the BIMSTEC Foreign Ministers’ Retreat, comprising Foreign Ministers from BIMSTEC member States, serves as a platform for exchanging ideas and fostering deeper cooperation and collaboration under BIMSTEC framework. Thailand hosted the 1st BIMSTEC Retreat in Bangkok on 17 July, 2023.
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