India has invited the leaders of The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Member States for the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This invitation is in line with the Government’s focus on its ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy.
Key Facts
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take oath for the 17th Lok Sabha on 30 May 2019. The oath of Office and Secrecy of PM’s and other members of Union Council of Ministers will be administered by President Ram Nath Kovind at a function in Rashtrapati Bhavan.
- Apart from BIMSTEC members invitations for PM’s swearing-in ceremony have also been sent to Sooronbay Jeenbekov, President of Kyrgyzstan who is the current Chair of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and Pravind Jugnauth, Mauritius Prime Minister who is also the Chief Guest at Pravasi Bhartiya Divas 2019.
About BIMSTEC
- Background: In 1997, prior to joining of Myanmar as a full member in grouping of ‘BIMST-EC’ it was named as the ‘BIST-EC’. The BIST-EC (Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, and Thailand Economic Cooperation) was initiated in 1997 itself and was encouraged by India’s Look East Policy (LEP) and Thailand’s Look West Policy it was Initiated. In 2004 Nepal and Bhutan became its members and the grouping was again renamed, now as the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC).
- BIMSTEC is an international organization which involves a group of countries in South Asia and South East Asia (SEA).
- Members (7): It comprises of primarily seven countries, those lying in littoral and adjacent areas of Bay of Bengal which includes India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar and Thailand.
- Objective: to improve connectivity between the member countries through multi-modal transport corridors.
- In general, there are ‘14 priority sectors’ which cover almost all areas of cooperation such as energy, handling of refugees, anti-narcotic measures.