BIMSTEC Summit: PM Modi Proposes 21-Point Action Plan

Bangkok, Apr 4 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday proposed a 21-point action plan that includes linking India's UPI with the payment systems of BIMSTEC nations and setting up a BIMSTEC Chamber of Commerce to strengthen engagement among the grouping's members.

Prime Minister Modi was addressing the 6th Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral and Technical Cooperation (BIMSTEC) summit, hosted by hosted by Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, here.

Modi said the grouping is an important forum to further global good and asserted that it was imperative for the BIMSTEC nations to strengthen and deepen their engagement.

“In this context, I proposed a 21-point Action Plan covering different aspects of our cooperation,” Modi said and proposed a range of initiatives from offering scholarships to students and researchers to giving a boost to business by announcing the BIMSTEC Chamber of Commerce and annual business summits among member nations.

For the youth of the region, Modi announced that India will host a BIMSTEC Athletics Meet this year and proposed to organise the BIMSTEC Games in 2027 to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the regional grouping.

The BIMSTEC Summit, which had a theme of 'BIMSTEC: Prosperous, Resilient and Open', also adopted the Bangkok Vision 2030 and a Maritime Transportation Agreement to boost connectivity and engagement between member nations.

The BIMSTEC Summit – the first in-person meeting in seven years – was attended by Modi, Nepal Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli, Bhutan Prime Minister Tsering Tobgay, Bangladesh chief advisor Muhammad Yunus and Myanmar Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.

The chairmanship of the regional grouping was handed over to Bangladesh at the Summit.

The action plan proposed by Prime Minister Modi also includes the BIMSTEC for Organised Development of Human Resource Infrastructure initiative (BODHI), which aims to train 300 youth from BIMSTEC countries in India every year.

“BIMSTEC has the potential to be a shining example of capacity-building frameworks. We will all learn from each other and grow,” Modi said.

Under the plan, he also proposed a pilot study to understand the needs of BIMSTEC countries to share the experience of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI).

“Additionally, I propose linking India's Unified Payment Interface (UPI) with the payment systems in the BIMSTEC region. This will benefit trade, industry, and tourism at all levels,” Modi said.

Building on India's strides in the space sector, Modi offered to build nano satellites for the BIMSTEC member nations and also explore setting up of ground stations and promote the use of remote sensing data.

At the outset, the Prime Minister offered his condolences for the loss of lives and property in Myanmar and Thailand in the devastating earthquake on March 28.

“The recent earthquake affecting Myanmar and Thailand underscores the need to work together in the field of disaster management,” he said, as he proposed establishing the BIMSTEC Centre of Excellence for Disaster Management in India to cooperate in disaster management, relief and rehabilitation.

BIMSTEC serves as a bridge connecting South Asia and Southeast Asia. It is emerging as an effective platform to open new avenues of regional connectivity, cooperation, and prosperity, the Prime Minister said.

He also proposed the establishment of a Sustainable Maritime Transport Centre in India to enhance coordination in capacity building, research, innovation and maritime policies.

The Prime Minister said a free, open, secure, and safe Indian Ocean is “our shared priority”.

The Maritime Transport Agreement signed today will strengthen cooperation in merchant shipping and cargo transport and accelerate trade, he said.

This Centre will focus on capacity building, research, innovation, and coordination in maritime policies. It will also promote cooperation in maritime security, he added.

The Prime Minister stressed the need to continually expand the scope and capabilities of the BIMSTEC grouping, welcomed the institutionalising of the Home Ministers Mechanism and offered to host the first meeting in India.

This forum can play a vital role in the fight against cybercrime, cybersecurity threats, terrorism, and drug and human trafficking. In this regard, I propose to host its first meeting this year in India, he said.

Under the training and capacity-building initiative of the plan, Modi proposed scholarships to BIMSTEC students in the Forest Research Institute of India and Nalanda University for a training programme every year for young diplomats from BIMSTEC countries.

Tata Memorial Centre will support training and capacity building in cancer care in BIMSTEC countries.

He also suggested the establishment of a Centre of Excellence for research and dissemination in traditional medicine and a Centre of Excellence in India for the exchange of knowledge and best practices, research and capacity building for the benefit of farmers.

To boost connectivity and culture, BIMSTEC Traditional Music Festival will be held in India this year, according to the plan. He also proposed faster work on electric grid interconnection.

For youth engagement, he said the BIMSTEC Young Leaders' Summit will be held this year and the BIMSTEC Hackathon and Young Professional Visitors programme will be launched.