Bangkok: Today, July 17, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had productive meetings with his counterparts from Nepal and Bangladesh in Bangkok. They expressed their commitment to closely collaborate in implementing the cooperative agenda set forth by their respective leaderships and also exchanged viewpoints on regional matters.
Jaishankar, currently in the capital of Thailand, actively participated in the BIMSTEC retreat. The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is a regional alliance consisting of India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Nepal, and Bhutan. Together, these seven countries are home to 1.73 billion people and possess a combined gross domestic product exceeding USD 4 trillion.
"Engaging discussion with Nepal Foreign Minister Narayan Prakash Saud. We have agreed to work closely together to implement the cooperative agenda established by our leaderships. I look forward to maintaining communication," tweeted Jaishankar, accompanied by pictures. The minister also had a meeting with Bangladesh Foreign Minister Abdul Momen.
"Delighted to meet Bangladesh Foreign Minister Abdul Momen. We discussed ongoing bilateral and multilateral cooperation, as well as exchanged thoughts on regional matters," he tweeted.
Earlier, Jaishankar paid a visit to Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and conveyed warm regards from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "Honored to meet with Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, alongside my colleagues from BIMSTEC countries. I delivered the greetings and well wishes from PM @narendramodi. I also emphasized our commitment to further strengthening BIMSTEC," he tweeted.
Jaishankar also engaged in a constructive dialogue with his counterparts from the BIMSTEC region. The leaders focused on reinforcing "resilience and coordination" among themselves with the shared objective of fostering growth and promoting prosperity.
Established in 1997, BIMSTEC is an economic and technical initiative that brings together nations located in the Bay of Bengal region for comprehensive cooperation. Bangladesh is expected to assume the chairmanship of this seven-nation alliance in December, coinciding with India's appointment as the secretary general following the BIMSTEC summit scheduled to be held in Thailand on November 30th.
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