BIMSTEC Summit 2025 Kicks Off in Bangkok, Oli and Modi to Meet

The sixth Bimstec summit will open on Friday as foreign ministers of all seven member states have readied the summit declaration and other instruments to be signed in Bangkok.

On the eve of the summit, Prime Minister of Thailand Paetongtarn Shinawatra hosted a dinner on Thursday for all heads of state and government and members of the delegations attending the summit.

On Thursday, according to the Bimstec secretariat, foreign ministers of Bimstec foreign ministers signed the Bimstec Agreement on Maritime Transport Cooperation Agreement. Two other memorandums of understanding between Bimstec and India Ocean Rim Association were also signed.

As per the itinerary, the summit will officially start on Friday, beginning with an address from current Bimstec chair Shinawatra, after which the agendas of the summit will be adopted. After that, the heads of the state and government will address the summit.

Following the address of Bimstec leaders, Shinawatra will address a press conference.

The 25th Session of Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) of Bimstec meeting at foreign secretary level has finalised the draft declaration of the sixth Bimstec summit, outlining vision, decisions and directives of the leaders, to be adopted at the summit.

The meeting also finalised the draft report of the 20th Bimstec ministerial meeting which the foreign ministers will consider and adopt at the 20th Bimstec’s ministerial meeting on Thursday, said a statement issued by the Bimstec secretariat.

The SOM Meeting also considered the report of Eminent Persons Group on the Future Direction of BIMSTEC, which includes recommendations to reform and revitalise Bimstec.

The meeting also considered several reports on draft concept note on Bimstec Centre of Excellence on Tropical Medicine, which will serve as a framework for establishing the Bimstec Centre for Excellence on Topical Medicine in Bangkok, Thailand; and considered the draft of joint statement by Bimstec leaders on the impact of the earthquake in Myanmar and Thailand on 28 March 2025, underscoring early establishment of Bimstec Centre of Excellence in Disaster Management in India.

Bimstec comprises seven countries of the Bay of Bengal region: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand. It pursues regional cooperation in 7 broad sectors: Agriculture and Food Security; Connectivity; Environment and Climate Change; People-to-People Contact; Science, Technology and Innovation; Security; and Trade, Investment and Development.

The cooperation also covers 8 sub-sectors: Blue Economy, Mountain Economy, Energy, Disaster Management, Fisheries and Livestock, Poverty Alleviation, Health, and Human Resource.

Also See: Yunus-Modi Meeting Uncertain as India Finalizes BIMSTEC Schedule

Oli meets leaders on the sidelines

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Oli held bilateral meetings with several leaders from Bimstec member countries on Thursday.

The prime minister is scheduled to meet his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, at 4:00 pm local time on Friday on the sidelines of the summit.

On Thursday, Oli met his Sri Lankan counterpart Harini Amarasuriya.

“We discussed Sri Lanka’s political landscape, Nepal’s constitution, investment prospects, and avenues to deepen ties through the Buddha-Lumbini-Colombo connection,” Oli wrote on X.

Earlier in the morning, Oli addressed an event at the Asian Institute of Technology. With a total of 1,795 Nepali graduates and 181 Nepali students currently enrolled, AIT has been instrumental in producing skilled Human Resources for Nepal, said Oli. He also reaffirmed Nepal’s support as AIT commits to training more Nepali talents.

“Many Nepali graduates of this institution are contributing to Nepal’s development—from infrastructure to water resources, from information technology to policy making,” the prime minister said. “We have always viewed our collaboration with this institution with respect and a sense of possibility.”

In his address, the prime minister stressed the need for collective efforts to ensure a secure and prosperous future for humanity. He highlighted that the government of Nepal is focused on promoting human happiness, prosperity, security, and self-dignity.

He also called for collaborative efforts at the national, regional, and global levels to address climate change, a common and global concern for all.

The prime minister also held a breakfast discussion with Thai business leaders on investment and trade opportunities in Nepal. They shared creative insights on potential investments, Oli wrote on X. “I assured them of Nepal’s conducive investment environment,” he wrote.

Oli also met Min Aung Hlaing, the prime minister of Myanmar. The two discussed the devastating earthquakes in Myanmar, and “exchanged views on strengthening engagements at the bilateral, regional, and multilateral levels,” Oli said.

Likewise the prime minister said that he held a productive meeting with Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay. We reflected on our bilateral meeting last September in New York and engaged in meaningful discussions on various dimensions of our partnership, Oli wrote on X.

After the meeting, Tobgay also took to X and said they “discussed longstanding ties between our two nations and explored avenues to further strengthen our cooperation.”

Similarly, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for the Asia-Pacific (ESCAP) Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana called on Prime Minister Oli in Bangkok.

This news is sourced from Kathmandu Post and is intended for informational purposes only.