BIMSTEC Summit: Prime Minister Modi announces several India-led initiatives towards capacity building

Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday announced several India-led initiatives towards institution and capacity building in BIMSTEC. Participating in 6th BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) Summit in Bankok, Mr Modi highlighted that BIMSTEC Centres of Excellence will be set up in India on Disaster Management, Sustainable Maritime Transport, Traditional Medicine, and Research and Training in Agriculture. He also announced a new programme for skilling the youth – BODHI [BIMSTEC for Organized Development of Human Resource Infrastructure] under which training and scholarships would be provided to professionals, students, researchers, diplomats and others. He also offered a pilot study by India to assess regional needs in Digital Public Infrastructure and a capacity building programme for cancer care in the region. Calling for greater regional economic integration, Prime Minister offered to establish BIMSTEC Chamber of Commerce and to organize BIMSTEC Business Summit every year in India.

Mr Modi offered his condolences on the loss of lives in the devastating



earthquake in Myanmar and Thailand. He thanked his Thai counterpart Paetongtarn Shinawatra for successfully steering the BIMSTEC Group. Highlighting BIMSTEC as a vital bridge between South Asia and South-East Asia, Prime Minister underlined that the Group had become an impactful platform for regional cooperation, coordination and progress. He called for further strengthening the agenda and capacity of BIMSTEC.

Prime Minister welcomed signing of the BIMSTEC Maritime Transport Agreement, adoption of the BIMSTEC Bangkok Vision 2030, and adoption of the Report of BIMSTEC Eminent Persons Group. The BIMSTEC Member States also adopted the Summit Declaration.

Mr Modi visited the Wat Pho Buddhist temple in Bangkok. 

In a social media post, Mr Modi thanked Prime Minister Shinawatra for the special gesture of accompanying him to temple. He added that Wat Pho also symbolises Thailand’s rich cultural and artistic heritage. He said Lord Buddha’s teachings also form the basis of an age-old civilisational bond between India and Thailand.