Gen V K Singh emphasizes India's sincere and abiding commitment to work with BIMSTEC Member States

Minister of State for External Affairs Gen V.K.Singh has emphasized India's sincere and abiding commitment to work with Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation-BIMSTEC Member States. Addressing the Sixteenth BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting in Kathmandu this morning, 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 potential. He said that to achieve regional growth and prosperity there is a need to deepen areas of



cooperation and rationalizing the priority sectors. 

Mr 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 finalise the BIMSTEC Convention, MoU and Draft Kathmandu Declaration of the 4th BIMSTEC Summit scheduled to begin from tomorrow. The Heads of Member States of BIMSTEC  including Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the two-day Summit.