India Hosts BIMSTEC Foreign Ministers As 2-Day Retreat Of Bay Of Bengal Nations Begins In Delhi

India began hosting foreign ministers from the BIMSTEC member countries for a two-day retreat in the national capital on Thursday, aimed at bolstering cooperation among Bay of Bengal countries.

The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) brings together seven countries of South and Southeast Asia for multi-faceted cooperation. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) earlier said the retreat presents an opportunity for the group to discuss avenues to deepen cooperation in trade and connectivity.

Addressing the visiting foreign ministers, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said, “Our message should be clear that we are all determined to infuse new energies, new resources and a new commitment into cooperation among Bay of Bengal nations.”