PM Modi calls for regional unity and cooperation among BIMSTEC nations; India to provide 1 million US dollars for grouping’s budget

COLOMBO: Addressing the fifth BIMSTEC summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called on India’s neighbours in the Bay of Bengal region for regional unity and cooperation. “With our region facing challenges of health and economic security, the need of the hour is unity and cooperation”, Modi said in his virtual address.

The developments in Europe over the last few weeks have raised a question mark on the stability of the international order. It is the time to make the Bay of Bengal the bridge of connectivity, prosperity and security, he said. Modi also called upon BIMSTEC nations to dedicate themselves to working with new enthusiasm to achieve the goals that were realized in 1997. The results of this landmark summit will write a golden chapter in BIMSTEC’s history, he added.

The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC ) is a regional grouping comprising India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Nepal and Bhutan. The fifth BIMSTEC summit is being hosted by Sri Lanka. Modi also announced that India would provide 1 million US dollars to the BIMSTEC secretariat to increase its operational budget. “It is important to strengthen the capacity of the secretariat. I suggest the Secretary-General to create a roadmap for the same," Modi opined.

The External Affairs Ministry had earlier stated that, “The Covid-pandemic-related challenges and the uncertainties within the international system that all BIMSTEC members are facing impart greater urgency to the goal of taking BIMSTEC technical and economic cooperation to the next level. This is expected to be the main subject of deliberations by leaders at the summit.”