New Delhi: Ahead of the Bimstec Summit to be hosted by Thailand later this year, external affairs minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar held talks with his Thai counterpart Maris Sangiampongsa in the capital last Friday. The discussions were part of the second Bimstec foreign ministers’ retreat hosted by India last Thursday and Friday. In a statement on Sunday, New Delhi reported that the “two ministers reviewed progress across various areas of partnership covering political exchanges, defence and security ties, trade and investment opportunities, connectivity, science and technology collaboration, health cooperation, culture, and people-to-people interaction.”
The statement added, “In accordance with the vision of the two Prime Ministers, the ministers reaffirmed the mutual desire for a stronger India-Thailand partnership.”
Bimstec, the Bay of Bengal initiative for multi-sectoral technical and economic cooperation, comprises seven member nations: India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. These countries are located “in and around the Bay of Bengal littoral,” with five being South Asian nations and two Southeast Asian nations. The significance of Bimstec has grown in recent years, particularly since the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) has been virtually inactive since 2016 due to tensions between India and Pakistan.
In a statement, New Delhi said, “On 12 July, external affairs minister held a bilateral meeting with the Thai minister of foreign affairs and hosted a lunch in his honour. The two ministers also exchanged views on issues of mutual interest and reiterated their commitment to closer cooperation in sub-regional, regional, and multilateral fora.”
“Thailand is a key partner of India in Asean. The ‘Act East’ Policy of India, which marks its 10th year in 2024, converges with the ‘Act West’ Policy of Thailand. Interactions between the external affairs minister and the Thai minister of foreign affairs have contributed to the further strengthening of bilateral ties,” the statement concluded.
