On 11 July 2024, H.E. Mr. Maris Sangiampongsa, Minister of Foreign Affairs, attended the Second BIMSTEC Foreign Ministers’ Retreat in New Delhi, India. The meeting was chaired by the Minister of External Affairs of India and participated by Foreign Ministers of Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Myanmar, State Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka, Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Nepal, and BIMSTEC Secretary-General. The meeting discussed ways to enhance BIMSTEC in various issues such as sustainable development, digital economy, disaster management.    

The Minister of Foreign Affairs underlined the need of BIMSTEC to enhance cooperation on non-traditional security issues namely; (1) Food Security: by efficiently and sustainably harnessing rich and resourceful Bay of Bengal, particularly fishery resources; (2) Human Security: through the comprehensive promotion of medical tourism and education; and (3) Energy Security: by deepening the cooperation on clean and renewable energy. He also reiterated Thailand’s willingness to share expertise on those areas with all Member States to forge a more prosperous and sustainable future of BIMSTEC.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs also underlined Thailand’s strategic role as a connector between BIMSTEC and ASEAN, linking South Asian and Southeast Asian markets with the combined population of more than 4 billion. He also stressed Thailand’s readiness, as Chair of BIMSTEC, to host the 6th BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok on the 4^th September this year, and emphasized the role of private sector as a key player in translating policies and recommendations into concreate and tangible outcomes. In this regard, Thailand proposed to host the BIMSTEC Young Entrepreneur Forum in parallel with the Summit. The forum will be a platform for BIMSTEC’s new generations to exchanges views on new business ideas. 

On this occasion, the Minister of Foreign Affairs also paid a joint courtesy call on H.E. Mr. Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India and reaffirmed Thailand’s readiness to welcome the Prime Minister to the Summit in Bangkok. At the same time, Prime Minister Modi also sends his warm regards to the Prime Minister of Thailand.