NEW DELHI: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday confirmed that India is all set to host the first-ever BIMSTEC Home Ministers’ Meeting in New Delhi on October 13.
Describing Tuesday’s meeting as historic, Shah said, “This historic meeting underscores our shared resolve to combat terrorism, transnational organised crime, narcotics radicalisation, trafficking, illicit financial flows, and cyber threats. Through decisive coordination, we remain committed to building a safer, stronger, and more secure BIMSTEC”.
Bangladesh secretary-level officials and rest minister-level officials from across the member countries figure among those attending the event.
BIMSTEC, which stands for the “Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation, is a regional organisation comprising seven member countries: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.
BIMSTEC was established on June 6, 1997, with the signing of the Bangkok Declaration. Initially known as BIST-EC (Bangladesh-India-Sri Lanka-Thailand Economic Cooperation), the grouping expanded with the admission of Myanmar on December 22 in 1997. Nepal and Bhutan subsequently joined in 2004, further strengthening its regional presence.
India is now set to host the first meeting of BIMSTEC Home Ministers, bringing together representatives of the member countries to deliberate on shared security concerns. The meeting is expected to reinforce the collective commitment of the member states to tackling these challenges through coordinated efforts and enhanced cooperation.
According to its official website, the organisation pursues cooperation in areas, including agriculture and food security, the blue economy, connectivity, culture, disaster management, energy, environment and climate change, fiscal and monetary policy, health, human resource development, fisheries and livestock, and people-to-people relations, among others.
B’desh home minister to skip BIMSTEC meet in India
Bangladesh Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed will skip the first-ever meeting of home ministers of the BIMSTEC grouping in New Delhi, with a delegation led by a senior bureaucrat amid strained ties between India and Bangladesh. Home Affairs Senior Secretary Manzur Morshed Chowdhury is leading the Bangladesh delegation.