Ahead of the BIMSTEC summit, India commits bringing socio-economic transformation by growth and prosperity

Kathmandu, August 29: With BIMSTEC slating to kick start from August 30, Minister of State for External Affairs Gen V.K.Singh has emphasized India's sincere and abiding commitment to work with the BIMSTEC Member States.

Addressing the Sixteenth BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting in Kathmandu on Wednesday, Gen Singh said that India is dedicated to making the region safer, stronger and prosperous. Minister for Foreign Affairs of Nepal, Pradeep Kumar Gyawali in his opening remarks said that BIMSTEC region shares history, geographical contiguity, great civilizations and has huge potentials.

 

He said that to achieve regional growth and prosperity there is a need to deepen areas of cooperation and rationalizing the priority sectors. Gyawali also said that "Connectivity is the enabler, energy is the locomotive, technology is the accelerator, investment and trade is the driver of regional growth and prosperity for bringing socio-economic transformation.

 

He said that these factors should top the BIMSTEC agenda from now onwards.

The meeting will finalize the BIMSTEC Convention and MoU and Draft Kathmandu Declaration of the 4th BIMSTEC Summit scheduled to begin from Thursday. The Heads of State, Government of Member States of Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) including Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the two-day Summit.