BIMSTEC Summit: Nepal Foreign Affairs Minister, member countries sign Agreement on Maritime Transport Cooperation

ANI April 4, 2025 281 views

At the BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok, Nepal's Foreign Affairs Minister Arzu Rana Deuba and India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar signed a key Agreement on Maritime Transport Cooperation alongside other member countries. The summit focused on enhancing regional connectivity, trade, and sustainable development. Deuba highlighted the necessity of a strong political will for realizing BIMSTEC's vision and urged greater cooperation on climate change and disaster preparedness. Meanwhile, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the BIMSTEC dinner, where he met with Thailand’s Prime Minister to discuss bilateral relations.

"Reaffirming Nepal's commitment to strengthening regional cooperation." - Arzu Rana Deuba
Bangkok, April 4: Nepal Foreign Affairs Minister Arzu Rana Deuba, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, and foreign ministers of BIMSTEC member countries signed the Agreement on Maritime Transport Cooperation during the summit in Bangkok on Thursday.

Key Points

1

Nepal’s Arzu Rana Deuba emphasizes regional cooperation

2

BIMSTEC leaders sign maritime transport pact in Bangkok

3

Discussions on connectivity and sustainable development held

4

PM Modi attends BIMSTEC dinner with Thailand PM

The foreign ministers of Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Thailand, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Myanmar signed the agreement.

In a post on X, Nepal's Foreign Affairs Minister said, "The Signing Ceremony of the Agreement on Maritime Transport Cooperation during the BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok."

https://x.com/Arzuranadeuba/status/1907619313504121045

"Attended the BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting in Bangkok, Thailand, reaffirming Nepal's commitment to strengthening regional cooperation. Productive discussions on connectivity, trade, and sustainable development to advance BIMSTEC's shared vision," he said in an another post on X.

https://x.com/Arzuranadeuba/status/1907620688367673459

Earlier, Deuba expressed her commitment to regional cooperation and emphasised the need for a stronger political will to "realize a Prosperous, Resilient, and Open BIMSTEC." She also urged for the implementation of Bangkok Vision 2030.

She further called for greater cooperation on climate change and disaster preparedness, specifically welcoming India's initiative to establish the BIMSTEC Centre of Excellence in Disaster Management.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the BIMSTEC dinner in Bangkok on Thursday evening. He was received by Thailand Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra.

Bangladesh Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus and Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli were among other leaders present at the BIMSTEC dinner.

On Thursday, PM Modi held a bilateral meeting with the Thailand PM. This was the second meeting between the two leaders. PM Modi had earlier met her on the margins of the ASEAN Summit in Vientiane in October last year.

They reviewed the progress in the entire gamut of bilateral relations and ways to add greater momentum to the India-Thailand bilateral partnership, and also exchanged views on the regional and multilateral issues. They witnessed the signing of several bilateral documents.

Reader Comments

S
Sanjay K.
This is a significant step forward for regional cooperation! Maritime transport will boost trade and connectivity across BIMSTEC nations. 👏 Hope to see concrete implementation soon.
P
Priya M.
While I appreciate the diplomatic efforts, I wonder how landlocked countries like Nepal and Bhutan will benefit from maritime agreements? Would love to see more details about this.
R
Rahul D.
Great to see South Asian nations working together! The disaster management center proposed by India sounds particularly important given our region's vulnerability to climate change.
A
Anjali T.
Minister Deuba's focus on climate cooperation is spot on! 🌱 Our region faces similar environmental challenges - working together is the only way forward.
K
Kavita S.
The Bangkok Vision 2030 sounds ambitious but necessary. Hope the member countries can maintain this momentum beyond just summits and photo ops.
M
Manoj B.
Interesting development! I'm curious how this will affect shipping costs and timelines for goods moving between these countries. Could be a game changer for regional trade.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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