External affairs minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar emphasised the strategic importance of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) during the second foreign ministers’ retreat in New Delhi on Thursday. In his inaugural remarks, Jaishankar underscored BIMSTEC's role in fostering cooperation among member nations situated in and around the Bay of Bengal.
Comprising India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand, BIMSTEC includes five South Asian and two Southeast Asian nations. The minister highlighted BIMSTEC's growing significance, particularly since the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) has been largely inactive since 2016 due to Indo-Pakistani tensions. Jaishankar's remarks were perceived as a veiled critique of Pakistan, a member of SAARC but not BIMSTEC.
The retreat's notable participant was Myanmar's Deputy Prime Minister and foreign minister U Than Swe, marking his second visit to New Delhi within a fortnight amid Myanmar's ongoing challenges under military rule and insurgent activities along its borders. Following a bilateral meeting with U Than Swe, Jaishankar addressed concerns on social media, emphasising border stability, the flow of displaced persons, illegal narcotics, arms trade, and insurgent activities. He reiterated India's support for Myanmar's return to democracy and the swift repatriation of unlawfully detained Indians.
Jaishankar also held separate bilateral meeting.