Bimstec members must unite to fight extremism: EAM Jaishankar at summit

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New Delhi, March 29

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar today said the BIMSTEC member states must collectively combat terrorism and violent extremism as he emphasised India’s commitment to intensify and expand areas of cooperation in sectors like connectivity, energy and maritime security.

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At the 18th ministerial meeting of the BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) in Colombo, Jaishankar also touched the Ukraine issue saying the international system was passing through a challenging phase. “The Covid challenges had not yet fully abated and here we have the Ukraine developments adding to international disquiet,” he said.

The minister said the maintenance of international peace and security and even stability could no longer be taken for granted. “We must recognise that we face headwinds, both from the global economy and in some cases from within our own domestic economies,” he warned.

Listing out what all would be inked tomorrow when the leaders hold the BIMSTEC summit, he said cooperation on port facilities, ferry services, coastal shipping, grid connectivity and movement of motor vehicles were key. Besides India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bhutan are members of the grouping.

“Tomorrow, our leaders will adopt the BIMSTEC charter. This is a landmark achievement in our effort to develop the institutional architecture for BIMSTEC,” said Jaishankar. Sources said this would formally state the grouping’s purpose and principles and lay down the basic institutional architecture for working. The BIMSTEC Master Plan for transport connectivity will be a document framework, which can help align transportation and connectivity networks. “It will enable the establishment of a coastal shipping ecosystem, of port facilities and ferry services in the Bay of Bengal…,” the minister said.